


Heart Scales and Diamonds of the Soul

by Victoria_the_dragoness



Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-12 15:57:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 137,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7112515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victoria_the_dragoness/pseuds/Victoria_the_dragoness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years after Spike left for Canterlot, Rarity hears word from Twilight that the dragon is returning to Ponyville. Her excitement is obvious, being able to reunite with a very dear friend of hers, but this message draws back memories in her of dreams of his birthday…or rather, nightmares.</p>
<p>She knew why he had to leave back then, had been able to see it in his eyes every time he looked at her after that day. Rarity was prepared for a reunion like this; it was clearly going to happen eventually, but she had no idea why Spike would come back now. No, that wasn’t true. The mare did know the why.</p>
<p>After all, it was her who had caused him to leave in the first place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rarity 

The town was quiet, almost eerily so at this point, or she was deaf to what was happening around her. A pony with a luxurious violet mane and tail, adorned with a cutie-mark of three indigo diamonds struggled to see through the thick miasma that seemed to stifle her breathing. Rarity’s coat was white, but it was covered by dirt and mud and fog. She could only see a few feet in front of her, the oppressive atmosphere almost overwhelming. The air stung her lungs with each oxygen-starved gasp she took. All of the stores and stalls and houses were locked and barred, shut tightly. She would knock on one of them, hoping that somepony would open it and allow her to seek refuge, but none did.

As she looked around, Rarity’s eyes began to sting as well. While they welled up with tears, she could see smoke rising from behind some buildings off to the south of Ponyville. The pain became too much for her to bear in that moment, so she clenched her eyes shut and rubbed them with a hoof. Her senses were running wild, each and every sound profoundly louder than normal. Rarity staggered about, still blind to the environment, hearing the snap of a twig and fearing that a manticore or a timberwolf was about to attack her.

When she opened her eyes, the unicorn was horrified by what she saw. In the distance, several of the thatched roof houses were burning. Blazes could be seen spreading across the town, enveloping businesses and residences in a scorching inferno. Smoke rose from the green flame, as Rarity understood. This was not fog, but a thick cloud of ash and dust created by whatever was rampaging through the town. Rarity began to fear the worst, her friends having fallen victim to this…beast. Stalls and kiosks burned with a blinding intensity; neither sight nor sound of another pony for miles. She felt so unbearably alone and abandoned, tears beginning to stream down her face.

Rarity broke into a canter, spying her home, Carousel Boutique. Shaped as its namesake and adorned in colours of blue, violet, pink, orange and white, the charming building was also her place of business. It was a setting from which to sell her many sewn clothing masterpieces; though now it was grey and dull, covered with soot.

She reached out a shaky hoof, hoping it was not also impassible, as she neared the door of the brightly coloured building. Unfortunately, the doorknob would not budge as the distraught mare leaned heavily against the door, slumping to the ground in defeat. Rarity began to cry softly, knowing that it was only a matter of time before the fires reached her as well. A growl emanated from behind her, a low guttural moan that shook her to her very core.

Rarity spun around to face a creature twenty feet-tall at least, smoke billowing from its snout. It towered over the buildings, over her, staring down at her with all the primal instinct of a predator hunting for its next meal. Rarity gaped, wide-eyed in terror, at the monster. Huge emerald eyes glared back at her, narrowed in anger at everything it could see. She noticed the claws on either hand; long, sharp and terrible to behold, they clenched together and relaxed again, the creature not quite decided on what to do with her. Finally, Rarity saw its teeth: twelve inch long serrated edges, each the size and width of a kitchen knife. As it took in a deep breath, readying for another spout of fire, Rarity sat up in her bed in a cold sweat, the cushions soaking up most of her stress as she slept.

The unicorn was hyperventilating, panic stricken from the dream she’d had. She hung her head over the edge of her large velvet covered bed, trying to grasp what she saw. “Oh, _Celestia_ , what in the world was that? I don’t recall ever having a nightmare so _terrifying_. As a matter of fact, it…it felt so familiar.” An image of the creature flashed before her eyes in that moment. She shuddered in fear as the memory flooded back to her. It was purple and green, with emerald eyes. “Spike…Spike was…how could I dream of such a thing? No, it wasn’t his fault back then, his dragon instincts simply took over. Everything is fixed now. I mustn’t dwell on such things.”

It was still early in the morning. Darkness and the light of Luna’s moon still presided over the world as the moments ticked by until sunrise, so once the white mare caught her breath and settled her nerves, she returned to her slumber.

Rarity was gushing. Gushing over the splendid night she and everypony was having. She wore an azure coloured dress, tied around her waist by a lovely pink fabric, looking like transparent flower petals. A cobalt ring of pearls was set atop her mane, with three pieces of fabric in the shape of water lilies clipped into it at the side. A light green necklace hanging down from her neck with a four-sided purple gem, like her cutie-mark, completed the ensemble. She watched happily as the newly married couple danced; she even caught the bouquet that the lovely pink bride, Princess Cadence, threw, Rarity’s unladylike outburst of ownership drawing some angry stares in the process.

She still held those flowers: a few kinds of lilies, some tulips and daisies and some carnations as well, though now she held them absentmindedly as she stood in the courtyard, near the Canterlot gardens. The flowers and trees on the other side of the fence were beautiful beyond compare tonight. They held most of her attention, glowing in the light of the moon, yet she still managed to think about that strange nightmare she had had a few nights prior. _I cannot believe I had a nightmare about Spike destroying Ponyville. He would never do that on purpose. What could have brought on a dream like that?_

“Rarity?” a voice called from beside her, breaking her from her thoughts for a moment.

“Yes?” she replied, turning around and spotting Spike looking up at her. He was a baby dragon, purple scales along his body and green spines on his head and down his back. His lips parted slightly as she gazed down at him, but his unsmiling expression concerned Rarity. Spike’s eyes were wide and glistening, and his knitted eyebrows caused small creases to form on his forehead. He wore a tuxedo for the occasion, a little something Rarity had whipped up with the rest of the dresses meant for her friends: a fitted black dinner jacket and a pressed white button shirt with blue cufflinks. A top hat rested neatly on his head and a big red bowtie, positioned just under his chin was the final touch on the outfit. She managed a smile as her midnight scare faded into the back of her mind. “Why hello there, Spike. I thought that voice sounded familiar. Enjoying the party?”

“Yeah, it’s great. There are all sorts of things to do and Pinkie’s really brought the mood up. I was just, um, coming over to check if you were okay.”

Rarity tilted her head at that, unsure of what to make of his statement. “Why yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“You left a few minutes ago and after you caught those flowers, you didn’t say very much. I was worried a little, I guess.”

Rarity smiled sweetly at the little dragon. “Why aren’t you the little gentledrake to check up on me. But yes, I am fine. I was merely enjoying some peace and quiet near the garden, thinking about how the twilight orchids are so beautiful tonight and about my own wedding someday.” She twirled the bouquet with her magic wistfully, a sad smile playing across her lips.

“You know, one thousand years ago, before Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon, she bred these flowers to only bloom after twilight. I suppose it was a little something to give her more company, when all those ponies slept through her wonderful night. I cannot imagine the loneliness she must have felt from her thousand year imprisonment on the moon.” _But I do know about loneliness, all the same._

“That must have been hard,” Spike muttered. “She felt unloved by the ponies of that time. I can understand the hurt that she must have felt, watching them play in her sister’s sun. But when she was released, and almost brought a permanent state of night to us because she was upset…well, I’m just glad you and our friends were able to stop her.” Rarity smiled softly at the little dragon.

“Princess Luna made each star and each constellation,” he went on, as Rarity listened to the dragon intently. In that moment, he seemed wise beyond his twelve years. “She organised the night into something incredibly beautiful and altogether breathtaking; she made the moon bright, the stars twinkle and the sky seem so much more welcoming, but nopony was even awake to see it. I just hope that Luna didn’t know what she became at that time, having to wait on the moon for such a long period, all while staring through the eyes of a pony who felt betrayed by her own citizens.”

The seamstress smiled sadly at her friend. She was surprised by how much he knew of that event, but she guessed that Twilight had spoken to him about it after the night all of them became friends. She herself had read about her life before Nightmare Moon in a book the lavender alicorn had: _the History of the Lunar Princess_. “I hope so too, Spike. But I think we both know the answer to whether she was conscious the entire time.” Rarity brought a hoof up over the fence to rest just underneath the sepals of one of Luna’s flowers. It was barely open, byzantium-coloured pedals folding outwards to reveal a beautiful white pistil.

“Rarity?” Spike said again, grabbing the unicorn’s attention. She turned to look straight at him to await his question. “Do you remember when I became a huge, out of control dragon and foalnapped you?”

Rarity stared at him, sapphire eyes widened; she was startled that he would bring that up. _Does he know about my dream?_ she mused without thinking. _Nonsense, how can he possibly?_ She cleared her throat softly and kept a small smile. “Yes?”

“I never apologized for that, did I?” he asked, lowering his head.  Spike rubbed his claws together guiltily, and Rarity stepped forward to comfort him.

_My little Spikey-Wikey._ The unicorn smiled sweetly and lifted his chin up with her hoof. “Think nothing of it, Spike. You weren’t yourself that day. It was all that hoarding and collecting. I understand.”

Spike continued to fiddle with his claws, but wouldn’t meet her gaze for some reason.

“Something wrong, Spike?” Now it was her turn to be worried. She sat down and placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder, hoping to alleviate some uncertainty he might be struggling with.

Grudgingly, the dragon looked up at the white mare and spoke what was on his mind. “When I became me again…and we were falling…and I started to tell you I had a crush on you...did…did you already know what I was going to say?”

Rarity’s smile faded into a serious expression, but did not flinch at his abrupt question. Awkward though it was, it was the only way he could ask her, and she understood. “Of course I did, Spike. I had my suspicions for a time; a lady knows these things. That day only cemented my thoughts.”

“Oh. And…and when your eyes teared up after you stopped me from telling you how I felt…did you do all that because...you…?” The rest of his question caught in his throat, making it impossible for him to finish.

A vision of last night passed by Rarity’s sight as she stared at the little dragon; only in this vision the ‘little dragon’ was several stories tall and breathing harmful green fire everywhere. _Oh my…I can’t tell him about my dream. It would break his little heart even more. No. I must do this gently, not knowing is worse, it seems, than knowing is._ “You are a fine dragon; always so polite and helpful. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without you, but Spike…you are a _baby_ dragon nonetheless. I’m sorry. Please don’t take this the wrong way.”

Tears started to fill Spike’s eyes, but he blinked them away quickly. “O…okay, I get it.” He turned to leave, sniffling and rubbing his eyes.

She bit her lip. “But,” said Rarity after a breath, causing Spike to look back at her. “I still meant what I said earlier. There are things about you that I search for in a pony, and I would be truly _crazy_ to let such a sweet little assistant slip through my hooves. For I am sure there are plenty of other mares or female dragons that would kill for a dragon like you.”

“What do you mean?” asked Spike. He didn’t seem to understand where this was going, and just had a questioning look on his face.

“I don’t want to get your hopes up, Spike,” she stated carefully, trotting over to sit in front of Spike properly. “I’m not making any promises; however, if we gave it a few years…when you are fully grown, we may see what happens then.”

Spike was awestruck by what she was saying and Rarity couldn’t help but inwardly giggle at how cute he appeared just now. “You’d do that for me?”

“If this were a simple crush, you would have stopped with this sort of thing long ago. I’ve seen it happen a few times, but you haven’t given up. So I should give you a chance, at least in the future. I don’t see why not.” _Other than you being a dragon and myself a pony._ Rarity bit her lip once again, choosing to ignore that nagging voice for the time being.

Spike’s cheeks had turned bright crimson; a colour Rarity couldn’t help but think looked adorable on him. “W-would you like to dance, my lady?” he asked, holding out a shaky claw.

She smiled warmly at her little gem assistant. _Becoming bold now are we? I suppose I owe you that much, for putting up with me._ Rarity bowed low and held out a hoof. “Of course, my lord; whenever you are ready.”

The grin on Spike’s face widened, but he also looked increasingly nervous and hesitant as he took her hoof. The two began to dance slowly, just barely catching the song of the wedding playing in the background.

“So, Spike, if I may ask, what did you plan for the bachelor party?” Rarity asked. She rested her head on Spike’s shoulders as they spun around slowly, letting him lead her in the quiet of the evening. As they danced in the courtyard, the white pony took notice of the buildings around them, most being of an older time: sharp peaked ceilings and high arches of a splendid architecture and stained glass windows of an unmatched beauty and intricacy.

“Oh, nothing special actually,” Spike replied, nervously. “Twilight told me what a bachelor party was after Princess Cadence and Shining Armour left, so it’s a bit late for that anyway.”

“Maybe,” said Rarity, while they circled each other closely. The song had a lovely tune when she was able to make it out; a slow, delicate song most likely for newlyweds. “I would still like to hear what you had in mind, if you would like to of course.”

“Well, I asked Pinkie for some streamers and a big long banner reading ‘Have a great bachelor party’ on it. I decided on not putting balloons up, because I thought it was too immature.”

_Hmm, not bad ideas for a baby dragon,_ Rarity thought, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Go on.”

“Uh, well, I was thinking perhaps some wine for some ponies and non-alcoholic punch, juice and water for others, just in case. We could have gone bowling; of course for this sort of thing I would need Princess Celestia to prepare most of it. I am a baby dragon after all.” Admitting that seemed to annoy Spike now, Rarity’s smile dimmed a little at the drop in his voice.

“I must say I am impressed, Spike. I never expected you to know how to plan a mature party. No offense meant.”

“Are you impressed enough to go on a date with me?”

“ _Spike_ ,” Rarity scolded, a serious look on her face again.

“Right, only kidding.”

They danced long into the night, discussing all sorts of things they had done that the other hadn’t been present for and just simply complementing one another on their dance skills. Rarity was especially surprised to see that Spike had practiced some of the steps. He was a pretty practiced dancer all in all, she decided. When the night grew late, the two rejoined their friends and returned to their respective homes in Ponyville to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Rarity

In the afternoon light of the sun, Rarity worked on a new dress for a famous client in Fillydelphia. It was a short nylon dress, sapphire blue in colour, decorated with all manner of bright sequins and glass beads that brought out its shine. A sash tapered at the front, across the chest and draped over the top all the way to the back, accentuated the curves of the pony who would wear it.

The seamstress heard a gentle rapping at the door as her horn levitated the final touches onto the ensemble, a gorgeous decorative brooch of bronze. Rarity looked up from her work and sighed, set aside her nearly finished masterpiece and stretched to relieve her back of the strain. _I wonder who that could be on a day such as this._ She removed her sewing glasses and placed them neatly into their case.

Pushing herself up from her work desk, the white unicorn trotted over to the mirror by her bed to make sure she was presentable. It was a lovely antique mirror, which she bought from an auction in Manehattan two years prior. The frame was of a red mahogany; the edges carved into a circle with the inside chiselled to create a whirl pattern, which aided in drawing attention to the other décor within her house. Much of her furniture was shaped in the same way, magenta coloured tables and sofas and chairs, a large yellow flower painted on the table top downstairs. Fabrics and cloth and strings of wool were strewn about the floor of her workroom in a way that Rarity described as ‘organized chaos’.

Finding her mane in a fabulous state of perfection, Rarity descended the staircase and opened the door with her magic. “Why hello there, Twilight,” Rarity said with a happy wave and smile at greeting her friend on a sunny day like today. “This is a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you?”

Twilight was of a size, age and maturity with her; an alicorn – having wings and a horn like Princess Celestia, Luna and Cadence – she had a lavender coat and indigo coloured mane, with an even deeper purple line of colour and some pink running down the middle. Her mane and tail were kept trim, neat and tidy, her indigo bangs hanging at the sides of her face. Twilight’s form was slender, but a healthy figure that Rarity could relate to; the scholarly princess’ sharp eyes betrayed no troubled emotion as they sparkled in the light of Celestia’s sun. Her cutie-mark was a multi-pointed star, symbolizing her love of arcane spells and incantations. As Rarity studied the astute mare briefly, Twilight smiled and waved at the unicorn.

“Hi Rarity, I’m stopping by to tell you that Spike is coming back.” Rarity’s ears perked up at hearing this, her interest piqued. “I’ve told Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and they’re off to tell Applejack and Fluttershy. Come on, they’ll all be at the train station shortly.”

“Of _course_ , I will be right there.” Rarity darted back into the boutique and magicked a large beige sun hat from her closet onto her head. “Ready!” she sung, trotting back out to stand in front of the lavender alicorn. “Lead the way, my dear.”

The day was clouding over slightly as they made their way to the station, but some sun still managed to shine down upon the earth. Twilight was taking this time to tell the fashionista all of what she had read of Spike’s letters; mostly about quests and adventures in foreign lands, some sounded more frightful and some more stressful than others. Rarity listened with one ear and thought to herself of all the time that had passed between them.

It was quiet in Ponyville, compared to other, more developed cities, but Rarity had been hitting a bit of a breakthrough with her new line. She couldn’t wait to tell Spike about all of the dresses she was making. Several up and coming celebrities in fashion heard about her skill with sewing three years before and ordered numerous styles. Rarity could barely keep up, but most were finished by now and she was on a vacation of sorts.

She raised her head and noticed the station in the distance; a small situation to be sure, very quaint. A ramp on either side led up to the platform, shade being given off from the overhanging thatched roof of the ticket purchasing building. Poles were placed at the front of the platform to bear the weight of the roof so it did not collapse on some unsuspecting arrivals or departures. A sign hung off from the roof, with a painting of a train on the piece of wood. There was a purple door placed off to the left, which led into the building, with a window off to the right side.

Rarity’s grin dropped by a few inches as she remembered saying a sad farewell to the dragon at this station four years ago. She knew the reason for his sudden departure, but that didn’t make her feel much better about it. Rarity almost hadn’t been present for the farewell, but was glad to have come at the last minute.

Upon arriving at the station, the seamstress spotted the others standing on the platform awaiting Spike’s train. “I sure am excited to see Spike again after all these years. How about you, Rarity?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to look at the white unicorn.

“Of course, dear.” Rarity responded, ascending the ramp of the station and slowing down, so as not to trip on the wooden floorboards by mistake. “It’s been so long since we’ve seen him, I can’t wait to hear all about what he has been doing with himself.”

Twilight giggled beside her friend. “He’s been quite busy I hear, from all the letters he and the princess have sent me. He hardly has any time to relax anymore.”

Rarity smiled back at the lavender pony. “This should be a welcome respite for him then, indeed. I hope he hasn’t been pushing himself too hard.”

“Can you believe it?” Rarity heard Rainbow Dash shout from in front of them. She was a pegasus with a cyan coat and messy rainbow mane and tail, her trademark look; her cutie-mark was a cloud with a streak of lightning containing the three primary colours. Rarity was always trying to tidy her mane up and make her look fabulous, but the stubborn pony always refused her offers. “I can’t wait to see him and give him a noogie.” The white unicorn saw Rainbow give a small representation of what that would look like, using her left hoof as Spike’s head as the other hoof gave it a noogie. Her face scrunched up, a few wrinkles forming above her eyes. _Not very becoming at all._

“Ooh ooh, I can’t wait to see little Spike again either! There are so many things we need to catch up on with him, and so many things he needs to catch up on with us!” cried Pinkie, hopping up and down sporadically. Three balloons adorned her flank, two blue with a yellow string and one yellow with a blue string, symbolizing her addiction to parties, candy and making ponies feel welcome and happy.

Always excitable and playful, the pink pony with the magenta mane and tail was just as elusive with mane care as Rainbow Dash. Try as she might, Rarity could never seem to tame Pinkie’s hair for long, either by it poofing back to its usual fluffiness or Pinkie taking in a deep breath and blowing into her hoof, which elicited the same affect. Although at times, Rarity thought Pinkie Pie showed a bit more interest in fashion than the pegasus and she resolved to test it by teaching the earth pony to sew. After two years, she still seemed to be enjoying it.

Twilight chuckled, as the two mares joined the larger group. “Well, according to his last letter, I don’t think you’ll be able to call him ‘little’ anything anymore, that’s for sure.”

“Yes, he’s probably grown quite a bit over the years.” Rarity’s face drooped slightly at hearing herself say that. She huffed and paced around a little beside the group. “Oh, this won’t do at _all_. What’s happened to my little _Spikey-Wikey_? Oh no! I’ll have to come up with a new nickname for him too.”

“Ooh ooh, like what?” Pinkie asked, suddenly bouncing along with the white unicorn.

“I’m not sure at the moment,” said the fashionista, stopping to place a hoof to her chin in serious thought, but she came up with nothing off the top of her head. “You’ll have to give me some time, I think; and of course I will have to see him first to gain an appropriate appreciation of his size. He’ll always be little Spikey-Wikey to me, though.”

“I wonder if his wings have come in yet,” Fluttershy said, flapping her wings to stay aloft as she rubbed her forelegs together gently. A pegasus as timid as a mouse, Fluttershy was the mother of all pet owners. She had so many animals to take care of it astounded Rarity. She even took care of Opalescence, Rarity’s own white cat, no small feat by any means. She didn’t understand how she did it, honestly, but she was glad for her aid all the same. Fluttershy’s coat was yellow, while her mane and tail were a light pink. For her cutie-mark, she had three pink butterflies, showing her love and care of the pets she kept.

“He’s a foreign ambassador of the princess. Ah think he’d need ta have wings.” Applejack retorted, smiling at the timid pegasus. Applejack repositioned her Stetson to account for the change in the angle of the sun’s rays.

Rarity had an even worse time with Applejack than both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. The orange mare was always gallivanting through mud and muck and grime; her attitude toward dirty hooves and untidy manes was astonishing to say the least. Though Rarity tried to forgive that, after seeing Applejack actually enjoy the dresses she made for her, especially at the wedding four years ago. The white unicorn figured that was enough. After all, at times country fashion was accepted readily by many influential ponies. She had a few freckles on her cheeks, a broad jaw and a thin, short nose. Her mane and tail was yellow, tied up at the ends with red bands to hold the hairs together; Applejack’s cutie-mark was three red delicious apples and her Stetson was never far from the top of her head.

“Here he comes!” Twilight announced suddenly, pointing a hoof at the approaching train.

The ponies gathered together in anticipation as the train halted at the station. The doors opened and passengers trotted out, all but Spike seen leaving the passenger cars. Ponies in blue with purple manes, green with magenta, white with pink, but no green and purple dragon. The ponies appeared tense, relieved to be off the train, Rarity raised an eyebrow in slight worry. _Did something happen? Oh, I hope Spike is alright._ “Last call for departure!” the train conductor shouted as he walked along the side of the train, about to close the doors for the return trip.

“Wait! Hold on.” Rarity’s ears perked at the voice emanating from the train. _I know that voice. A bit deeper, but there’s certainly no mistaking it._ Rarity tilted her head above and around her friends to catch a glimpse of who it was. It was obvious to her who had spoken, yet it did not take away from the excitement. The conductor stood a few feet back from the door. He seemed startled to her, or, frightened. “Sorry, it’s difficult to get to the door without smashing into the seats.”

Rarity smiled brightly as she saw the conical purple scales and green spines as the creature disembarked from the train, but the size and scale was out of proportion with how she remembered. He was huge. Spike stood before the group, towering over them, much to the surprise of everypony. He was roughly eight feet-long, from head to tail and five feet-tall from the ground up, a head taller than either Rarity or the ponies around her.

He was on all fours now, most likely unable to support his own weight on two legs anymore. The scales along his body and spines down his back were much longer now, more rigid and sharp; however, they seemed smooth and aerodynamically designed to cut down on drag while in the air. His head was more elongated and primal, looking more like the adult dragons that ponies feared.

He was still far from being fully grown for his kind and his robust chin and sharp ears made him look far more handsome than any other dragon Rarity had encountered. She noticed that a pair of leathery wings now lay across his back, almost like a purple cape. His claws were much longer as well, fearsome truthfully, as they gleamed in the sunlight. _Nonsense,_ thought Rarity, _there’s nothing frightening about Spike at all. He’s always been a sweetie and growing up should not have changed that._

“Here he is, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity heard Applejack whisper behind her. “Go on, give ‘em a noogie.” As the purple dragon’s tail whipped back and forth along the floorboards of the train station, Rarity noticed that spikes had developed at its tip. That gave her pause, before Pinkie Pie cantered ahead of the group.

“Wee! Spike is back!” shouted Pinkie Pie, leaping up and grabbing Spike around his broad neck in a tight hug.

“Whoa! Pinkie!” Spike jerked back slightly on reflex at the pink blur zooming up to him, but he threw his arms up and caught her before she fell. His eyes were wide as he stared down at the pink pony. She smiled back obliviously in his arms. “It’s good to see you too. It’s been so long.” The foreign diplomat let her down after a few seconds, looking a little awkward.

“And look at you. You grew a lot in four years. Even when sitting down you’d be taller than all of us, and look at those claws.” Rainbow laughed. “Had any practice with them yet?” Spike replied with a smile and a shake of his head.

“It’s really good to see you again, Spike.” Twilight trotted over and hugged Spike loosely. She stared up at him as she spoke. “Did you get all of my letters? I was beginning to worry about you.”

Spike looked a little sheepish, scratching the back of his neck with a clawed hand. “Yeah, I did see them. Sorry about that, after my wings developed I’ve had more and more work to do. Princess Celestia was behind in her diplomatic relations with the western and southern nations, so she had me flying over in her place.”

“Oh my,” Fluttershy whispered, “your wings look wonderful. When did you get them, Spike?”

“Oh, about two years ago they sprouted, but they grew in quickly. I was flying in no time.” He stretched his right wing for emphasis and so everypony could see how they had developed. It was then that Spike looked up and over them to see Rarity. She could only stare at him, as she stood in the same place she had waited for the train to arrive. Her friends had trotted up to greet him, but Rarity was rooted to the platform now.

Spike smiled bashfully at the unicorn and waved a clawed hand at her, removing her from her daze. Rarity blinked and blushed slightly at the silence between them, she waved back. _Little Spikey-Wikey indeed._

“Well then, Spike, you and I will have to have a race at some point. We’ll see who’s the fastest.” The cerulean pegasus was flapping her wings, aloft above him with a smirk on her face.

Spike chuckled lightly. “I’m sure it’ll still be you Rainbow Dash, but I’ll give it all I have. It’s not every day you can race a dragon without being eaten, right? I may not be as fast as you, but I can surely fly greater distances, even farther than griffins. I suppose that’s why the princess wanted me to be her foreign ambassador.”

“Are ya sure it’s not because of the things about friendship ya learned with us, Spike? Ah’m sure that had something to do with it.” Applejack grinned at him.

“I guess so. Being here did aid in some of my quests away from Canterlot.”

“Do tell; I hope none of those quests went awry.” Rarity spoke up, finding her voice and her hooves. She trotted up and gave Spike a welcome back hug. She found that it was difficult to wrap her hooves around him completely now, but she managed. “And I see you’ve been building some muscle while away.” _He certainly has._

Spike’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of crimson, an absurd and utterly adorable colouration for a dragon, Rarity noted. He returned the hug and gave a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, it comes with the job I suppose. Flying all over the place and helping with heavy lifting at times certainly helped in that regard. Princess Celestia has me on a schedule for that, just so I’m not straining myself on the long flights.”

“Well, that’s great news, Spike.” Applejack replied with a tip of her hat. “Perhaps me, you and Rainbow Dash should have a friendly competition sometime. Ah wanna see your strength first hoof, same as her.”

He nodded back. “Sure. Though maybe we should find somewhere out of the way; I don’t know my full strength yet. Anyway, none of those quests became out of claw. In fact, I really enjoyed most of them. Although I thought that many of the ponies or griffins or zebras I saw were a little intimidated by me. That was probably a factor in it as well.”

Rarity frowned. _How could anypony be so insensitive? They don’t even know him._ She imagined Spike having to go through what had happened with the conductor all over Equestria. _Don’t you listen to any of them. You look wonderful._ The fashionista wanted to say what she’d thought, but instead she retorted, “Funny you should mention that. I was just telling the girls how I will have to come up with another nickname for you. I mean I cannot call you _‘little’_ anymore, or ‘Spikey-Wikey’.”

Spike gave Rarity a strange mixture of reactions: surprise, confusion, hesitation and alarm. “No, that’s okay. I don’t mind. I kind of like the nickname you gave me, even if it doesn’t really suit me anymore.”

He smiled warmly at the unicorn, a slight blush covering his cheeks. The others grinned as Spike answered, Rarity’s heart fluttered in her chest. She wasn’t accustomed to the dragon returning her compliments. “Well, I suppose, if you’re really fine with it.” _He still has the good heart of my little Spikey-Wikey._

Twilight took a step forward, standing in front of Spike and looking to each of her friends in turn. “Alright girls, I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen him, but I think we should continue to catch up back in town.”

“Ooh ooh! Yeah, that’s a great idea!” Pinkie said. She was hopping up and down at the edge of Rarity’s peripheral vision; the seamstress was still trained on the dragon, unable to believe how much he had changed.

Rarity shook her head and smiled at the group. “Why, yes, Spike you’ve just arrived. We should catch up later, after you’ve had time to rest from your long journey over here.”

“Good idea, Rarity,” Twilight said. “We’ll make some plans back at the library.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Rarity

The seven friends departed from the train station and walked along the fastest path back to the Golden Oaks library. Rarity’s hat was doing well to stave off the heat of the summer sun overhead. _One of my better ideas on a day such as this. And leaving that stuffy work room is turning out to be quite refreshing._ It was a lovely day, one she was happy to be out and about on, especially if it meant being able to catch up with one of her dear friends.

The Town Square was teaming with life this afternoon. Clover was out of her house tending to her garden near Quills and Sofas. To the right of the fountain just before Town Hall another pony was juggling while a band sat around him, playing polka music to accompany his talents. Ponies talked and strolled about, some Rarity spied entering the Town Hall on business. She passed by the occasional stall or kiosk or stand while a pleasant breeze wafted through the alleyways and over the tops of the buildings. The scent of flowers from Colourful Carnations, the town’s flower shop, drifted along by such a rush of air, giving Rarity cause to sigh in contentment at the perfect afternoon atmosphere.

She noticed how, on their leisurely walk to the library, ponies stopped and stared at Spike. Eyes widened and hooves shook slightly at the sight of him. It had been four years since he was here and some ponies new to Ponyville, and even those that had called this place home for years, looked mortified to see the dragon. Rarity tried to put herself in his position, and felt her eyes grow lidded in sorrow and slight anger toward those ponies. She stole glances at Spike, as if doing so would relieve some pain he undoubtedly felt for being treated this way. _He can’t hear your thoughts, darling._ She wondered how much of this he had endured, and would still need to throughout his life. However, the dragon’s expression showed no such signs of noticing these gawking ponies, something Rarity took some relief in. _Yet having grown up in Canterlot with so many ponies, he may just be good at disguising his grief._

To those that recognised him, either by his colours or just by seeing him with her and her friends, Spike waved back politely. Rarity grinned in the hope that at least some ponies looked at him the way she and her friends did. The way she wanted to. _Oh, Spike._

Eventually, they arrived at their destination as Twilight magicked the door open to let them into the library. Rarity noticed Spike taking a few moments to gaze at the exterior of his old home. Seeing him with a nostalgic look on his face, the fashionista stopped as well and looked up at the organic abode.

A red door with a candle on it welcomed whoever came by for a visit; off to the left side in the dirt was placed a wooden sign to let ponies know that this was the Golden Oaks library. On the second and third levels, several balconies and windows appeared, splitting off from the original structure of the home on horizontal branches. At the very top of the tree another balcony stood above the canopy, a telescope positioned on the railing for star gazing. The house’s exterior gave off a serene sort of air that Rarity thought any respectable library should have. She was always glad that Twilight managed to keep the state of her home in such a settled, calm mood. As Rarity watched the leaves began to rustle in a silent whistle, caught in a delicate breeze from the west.

Rarity suspected that Spike now recalled all of the memories he had here, while he wore a soft smile. After a few moments of warm silence, the two made their way into the building, the dragon gesturing kindly for Rarity to enter first. All seven sat in Twilight’s dining room, just barely fitting, with Spike needing to hang his tail out into the kitchen to allow for more needed space. Rarity had hung her hat on the stand by the front door and sat across from the purple dragon, at the window where the sun was shining through.

“So, is there anypony who would like to catch up with Spike first?” the lavender alicorn asked.

“I would,” said Rainbow, flying up above them as she placed a hoof on her chest. “I want to see how strong and fast he’s become.” She made several poses in mid-air to show what kind of tests she was thinking of. Spike chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck, Rarity smiled at how cute he was being. _I see he is still unaccustomed to being complimented on his new form._

“Same here, ah reckon.” Applejack added. “Maybe we should have our catching up times on the same day, just so he doesn’t need ta spend each of his days with just one of us. Ah’m sure you’d rather be hanging out with all six of us huh, Spike?”

“Yeah, but that sounds fine. It doesn’t sound like either of you will take up an entire day catching up anyway. I’m sure we can make it work, if you guys are okay with it.”

“Yeah, it’s cool. That way I have somepony to see me wipe the floor with you.” Rainbow snickered as she sank back to sit in the circle of her friends again.

“Oooh oooh!” Pinkie said, holding a hoof in the air as she bounced in her seat. Rarity always managed to find her behaviour amusing, though she was careful not to show that too often. “We have to have a party first; that way we can have Spike’s ‘Welcome back to Ponyville’ party and my catch up time with him all in one day too!”

“What do you think, Spike?” asked Twilight. “You up for all that? We can have your party with Pinkie Pie first and then Applejack and Rainbow Dash the next day.”

“Oh, a-and if you like, we can also catch up with each other on the second day…if that’s okay with you,” squeaked Fluttershy. “I’m sure my ideas won’t take very long. We could probably just have tea or something and talk; maybe after all the flying around and exercising?”

Rarity looked to Spike as he thought about it, but soon he nodded his head. “It sounds good to me. What about you, Twilight…and Rarity?” He glanced over to the white unicorn and the two locked eyes. Rarity flushed slightly, coming up blank with what to say. She hadn’t thought of what the two of them could do together, or when.

She was too busy thinking of all the things Spike must have seen on his travels. _He must have gone to places ponies can only dream of going. Places I can only dream of going._ An idea struck, and Rarity decided to go with it. “It is alright, Spike. We can do something after; how about a simple lunch at the boutique?” Not one of her more imaginative offers, but for now it would have to do. They could add to it in the moment, she was sure.

Spike’s eyes went wide and his posture became uncomfortable. He shuffled into a new position, his cheeks rosy. “Lunch…at your house?”

“Why, yes,” Rarity said, her eyes lidded. She gave him a sultry glance. “It will be like a… _date_. Of course, I will have to acquire some gems to prepare for you; only the best for my little _Spikey-Wikey_.”

The dragon’s mouth hung open, his face frozen in a permanent stare directed at Rarity. Spike’s whole face was crimson. He was sweating slightly under her lidded gaze, unable to look away. _Pony or dragon, my charms are still irresistible._

“Easy Rarity, you’re gonna make Spike explode from embarrassment,” Rainbow announced, nudging the unicorn with a slight smirk.

Rarity giggled and waved a hoof in dismissal. “Oh, alright. I’m sorry, Spike. I did not mean to embarrass you. I really only meant it as a chance to talk. After all we both must have missed of the other; we will be talking all day.” Spike seemed to have calmed down a bit as he nodded his understanding, though a light blush still played across his cheeks. _Perhaps that was a bit much. But he’s so cute when he’s nervous, even when he’s all grown up._

“As for me, you’d be staying here,” said Twilight. “We can catch up in the morning and at night; before you leave to visit everypony else and when you return.”

“Right,” Spike conceded, staring down at his arms. “I suppose I wasn’t thinking about staying overnight.”

“Alrighty then, when and where is this party o’ yours gonna happen, Pinkie Pie?” Applejack asked, pushing herself up from her seat. Rarity assumed she was becoming antsy. _Never could sit still for long, that one,_ she thought with a smile. _I suppose I have my impatient streaks as well, though._

Pinkie looked flabbergasted at the earth pony and then leaned toward the mare, her face now stern. “Uh, duh, Applejack, the usual time and the usual place: four o’ clock for ‘Welcome’ slash ‘Welcome back’ parties and at Sugarcube Corner, silly.” By the end of her speech, her smile had returned in full force, her disappointed act just that.

“Right.” Applejack droned, rolling her eyes. “How could ah forget?”

Pinkie leaned in further, now inches away from Applejack’s face. From Rarity’s perspective, she could see the surprised look on the farm pony’s face for having Pinkie Pie invading her space so quickly. “I don’t know. I have a party almost every day. Sometimes two if it really comes down to it. I’m not a mind reader, Applejack. Of course if I was, that would be great. I could see what everypony likes to have at a party without even needing to ask them. That would surely save time.” When Pinkie leaned back in her seat with a hoof to her chin, the white unicorn supressed a giggle.

She suspected Pinkie’s thoughts ranged from building a machine that reads ponies’ minds to gaining superpowers through some sort of chemical spill accident. Pinkie Pie had forced Rarity to read one of those comic books of super powered ponies catching criminals once, as part of the deal for teaching Pinkie Pie how to sew. Begrudgingly, and after several failed attempts to rid herself of the pesky pink pony, Rarity gave up trying to stitch one of her client’s dresses and agreed to read it. It wasn’t a bad story all in all if she was to be honest, but the villain, Maneiac, was not her kind of pony. _The thought of all of Ponyville’s residents having ghastly looking hairdos is too awful to think about._

“Sounds good to me,” Rainbow Dash said, flying over to the door to let herself out. “Great to see you again, Spike. Can’t wait to race ya.” She pulled the door open and zoomed out in a flash. _I suppose she has her impatient moments as well._ The seamstress chuckled, staring out the door. The sky was still bright and cloudy, only being about a few hours after noon.

“Ah should git going too. See ya’ll at the party tomorrow, nice ta see ya again, Spike,” Applejack said, following Rainbow out the door.

“Oh yes, and I’m sure it will be a wonderful party. They all are,” said the timid yellow mare.

Twilight nodded along in agreement. “Fluttershy’s right. I don’t know how you do it, but you always outdo yourself somehow.”

“Thanks guys. It’s what I do,” Pinkie said with a gruff voice and a nod of her head before laughing. She began bouncing over to the door. “Come on, Fluttershy. We’ve got some party to plan!”

“Who, m-me…p-p-plan a party?” Fluttershy shuddered nervously, wondering what Pinkie could possibly require her help in, most likely. Six years going to the spa and conversing with the pony, Rarity didn’t need much information to know what she was thinking.

“Well, duh, you’re the only Fluttershy I know…or are you?” Pinkie Pie zoomed in close, her eyes little slivers as she examined the shy pegasus discreetly. However, Pinkie brightened up and smiled after a few moments of silence. “Yep. You’re the only one.” Grabbing Fluttershy’s hoof, she shot out the door with a quick “Bye, Spike! See you at the party!”, while the yellow pegasus only managed a high pitched squeak as she was pulled along. The two were out of sight in a matter of seconds.

Rarity hummed as she stared after them. “They seem to be in quite the rush. Except for Fluttershy, but when with Pinkie Pie I dare say it would be difficult _not_ to be in a hurry as well.”

“We all need to be in a hurry sometime,” Twilight laughed. “And Rainbow Dash never was a slow pony, especially now that she is with the Wonderbolts.”

“I suppose you’re right, Twilight.” Princess Celestia’s aerial acrobatics team. The Wonderbolts were the best fliers in the land, devoted to their death defying routines and their tenacious members. A little less than two years ago, they began to train Rainbow Dash at their flight camp in the airborne city of Cloudsdale, her original home. Now she had her own team in Ponyville, practicing to compete in all kinds of sporting events all across Equestria.

“Do you have somewhere to be, Rarity? Would you like to stay for a while?” Twilight’s horn began to glow as two books were levitated down to rest on the table before them. “We could have some tea and catch up on some reading.”

“I don’t see why not. Twilight and I have been setting aside some time for reading for a while now. Two avid readers make for grand company,” Rarity said, turning to Spike. When she caught sight of his downcast expression though, her words caught in her throat. “On _second_ thought, I think we should leave it until another day, Twilight.”

“N-no no!” Spike shouted, looking up and over at Rarity. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. It’s just…”

“I understand, Spike. You want to spend some time with Twilight; it’s been quite a while since you two have seen each other. I have some business in the market to take care of anyway.” Of course she knew that wasn’t what was upsetting Spike. She had a hunch he knew she was thinking that as well. _Rarity, you have gone too far this time. I hope Spike is okay._ His head hung low again as he sat across from her.

She stood up from her seat, glancing at the lavender alicorn as she did so. She was worried now too, but Rarity guessed Twilight did not know what was making the dragon gloomy. Rarity cleared her throat gently and said, “I should probably go.” She trotted over to Spike and wrapped a hoof around him again. “I’m sorry, Spike,” she whispered. Rarity felt smooth, polished scales as she brushed her hoof along his back. It made her wonder if that was natural or if he actually maintained them.

The fashionista brought her hoof to the floor and smiled sadly at the purple dragon, before saying her goodbyes to Twilight and heading out the door. “I’ll be there for lunch; at the boutique, that is.” Rarity spun around and saw Spike looking at her. He didn’t have a smile, but at least he wasn’t frowning anymore. She was at least glad of that.

“I’ll be expecting you.” She shut the door with her magic softly.

Finally outside, the white mare allowed herself to sigh. _Rarity you silly filly,_ she berated herself. _You should know by now, even four years later, that I should not behave like that with Spike. Even now he still seems to have feelings for me. I should not have expected much less, I suppose. I asked him to wait and he did, something I never would have expected from any stallion I have ever dated. I guess that disproves a simple crush two fold…I just have to figure out if I feel differently about him now._

She didn’t really need to go to the market on business, just being an excuse to give Spike some alone time with his adoptive mother, but as she thought about her feelings toward the dragon, she made her way back toward the square.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Spike

Spike awoke from another dreamless night. He hadn’t been able to recall his dreams for some time now, something he thought odd. _I can usually remember parts of my dreams, what could be the reason that I can’t now?_ Wasting only a few minutes on that subject, the dragon gave up and stretched from his place on the floor. His bed was far too small now, and Twilight had no replacement for a dragon of his size. He had reassured her that sleeping on the floor would be fine, but Twilight had insisted on giving him what comfort she could.

She had some spare blankets and pillows and set them up on the first floor, Spike admitting with grief that he would be too large to fit through the door to his old room. It made him sad at first, realising that he would no longer be able to sleep in the same area with the lavender alicorn, but he didn’t look back at it too much. He would still have plenty of time to catch up with her now. His makeshift bed was not like his dragon-sized bed back in Canterlot, but it was far from uncomfortable.

When Rarity left the previous day, Twilight Sparkle had questioned him over what was wrong. He dodged the question, not knowing what to say and not having a believable excuse for what was upsetting him. He sensed that she knew something was wrong; even so, she didn’t push it. He suspected that she thought he would tell her when the time came, but Spike wasn’t sure if an appropriate time would ever arise. He’d been put down so many times before, overlooked and unnoticed, and she already knew about his love for the white unicorn, so he didn’t want to keep thinking about all that. _I waited for her, but I still don’t think that she likes me,_ he thought glumly. _‘I really only meant it as a chance to talk’._ That pain laced sentence danced around his head, until he stood up to think of something more cheerful.

That teasing tone she had used on him was a little embarrassing; even so, it wasn’t wholly unwanted. At least then he thought that her feelings for him might have changed, but he really didn’t know what to think when she had said that. “…just a chance to talk,” he sighed.

After stretching, the dragon dignitary moved to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He might be eight feet-long and unable to enter pony-sized doorways, but in Canterlot he still managed to cook for himself. Spike could heat the pans with a little flame as well. With the help of the princesses, he had learned to control the heat of his dragon breath according to the oven’s scale. He mixed up a batch of pancakes and heated the pan with his own fire, careful not to set off the alarm. _Twilight will surely be impressed by this._ Within a few minutes, he flipped the doughy treats and began to make some whipped cream.

As the treats cooked on the pan, he took the opportunity to gaze around the interior of the treehouse. He remembered every single detail of the nostalgia-inducing kitchen, dining and living rooms. In the kitchen, the pans were hung up above his head by hooks on the wall; the stove top was on an island adjacent to the fridge and both faced the living room. The dining room was positioned on the opposite side of the house, a table set up for meals, surrounded by oaken chairs. A window to the left of the table showed the outside world lighting up with the sun’s rays, not quite over the tops of the trees, but enough to provide some early morning light.

He thought of the Apple family in that moment, most likely using that light to begin working the fields and watering their plants. _It must look so different now since the last time I saw it._ Looking straight ahead from the stove, Spike spied the stairs to the second level and the door to Twilight’s room. The wooden railing curved along with the staircase, beginning and ending in a simple downward curl. The rest of the house had shelves carved into the interior, with books galore, all categorized by genre and alphabetized according to the author, book title, or publishing date. Twilight liked to switch that around, so Spike could only guess at how she had organised it now.

When he sensed the pancakes were done, they flew from the pan to the two plates he’d set on the counter. They were golden brown and fluffy on both sides. _Perfect,_ Spike thought. He continued this process until a veritable mountain of sweets was stacked on each plate.

Next, the purple dragon opened the fridge door and shuffled its contents along gently. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, wild berries, cherries, apple sauce; he took them all out and placed them in the center of the table in various containers and jars. Spike carried the plates over and sat them around, nodding at the masterpiece he had put together.

Though he was too large to fit through the inner doors of the treehouse, he was not of a size that would not allow ascending the steps to the second floor. Spike carefully snuck up the steps, keeping his tail under control so as not to make any disturbing noises. “Twilight?” Spike whispered, poking his head and neck into the bedroom. “Are you awake?”

Twilight’s bed sheets ruffled overtop the alicorn. She opened one eye as she turned to face the door. “Spike?” Her nose picked up on the delicious breakfast waiting downstairs. She opened the other eye. “Is that…pancakes?”

Spike nodded, happy that she still remembered his favourite morning meal to prepare. “Yep, I made enough for all of Ponyville.”

Twilight smirked as she stepped out from under the covers and onto the floor. “Or one growing dragon.”

The purple and green creature blushed and chuckled softly. “Uh, yeah. Anyway, come on down. I’m sure you missed my famous breakfast.”

“Famous?” Her eyebrow lifted curiously. He stepped aside to let her through the doorway. Taking the lead, Spike began to descend the steps for his magnificently tasty smelling breakfast.

“Well, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have tried them, and many of the guards too. They all really like them.” Twilight laughed at his statement and shuffled her wings along her back as she walked. Spike blinked in remembrance as they faced each other at the foot of the staircase. “Wow, Twilight. I still can’t believe you’re an alicorn. That’s so cool. I wish I could have been there to see it happen. I feel like I should bow to you.”

“Please don’t,” she said, smiling bashfully. “But I wish you could have been there too.”

Spike felt a pang of guilt in his chest. _It’s not just Rarity that I disappointed. Twilight missed me too. I don’t want to think about this right now._ “How does it feel to be as powerful as the princesses?”

She shrugged her shoulders, glancing off to the side. “Well…there was so much to take in. I was…overwhelmed, to say the least. I’m better with it now, but sometimes it’s too much. I don’t know how the princesses deal with it.”

The dragon ambassador scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah. I guess I know how you feel. This whole dragon thing happened so quickly.” _Except that everypony loves her, while most are afraid of me._ He couldn’t help but feel a surge of jealousy go through him. In half the time it took him to grow to this size, Princess Twilight had the praise of all of Equestria. _What do I have? Fear._

Spike heard a slight chuckle escape the alicorn’s lips. “So are you excited for the party today, Spike?” she asked, following the dragon to the dining area.

“Of course. It’s been so long since I’ve had a fun party.” He stopped beside the table and allowed Twilight to pick the seat she wanted. “Canterlot still has really boring fancy ones. I must have missed so many parties from being away for four years.”

Twilight nodded her thanks to the dragon and took the seat closest to the window; the sunlight just barely peeked in through the window of the front door. “That’s true. She hasn’t slowed down in that regard…or in any regard to be honest.” The two shared a laugh as Spike sat opposite the princess and decorated a pancake, covering it in blueberries and wild berries and then topping it off with whipped cream, a cherry and syrup.

“She is Pinkie Pie.”

Twilight smiled at the dragon across from her, while magicking some strawberries onto her own pancake. “So what would you like to do today? We have until four according to–” Suddenly, there came a rhythmic knock on the front door. Spike looked at the lavender alicorn and shrugged. He watched from his seat as Twilight trotted over to the door as a drum beat started up, baffling the two. Once the noise died down again, she opened the door; behind it stood Pinkie Pie, smiling like she would on any day.

“Hiya, Twilight!” Pinkie shouted. “Is Spike still here?”

“Yes, we were just having breakfast.” Twilight stepped aside and motioned to Spike for her to see.

“Hi Pinkie,” said Spike. He had a mouthful of pancakes as he spoke.

“You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full, Spike.” Twilight lectured. The purple dragon rolled his eyes, but secretly he missed when she told him he was eating too quickly. He missed many things that were too far from his reach, even though he was five feet-tall.

“Oooh, busted.” Pinkie giggled. “I just came by to grab Spike for the day.”

“Huh?” Spike and Twilight said in unison.

Pinkie grinned. She bounced into the dining room proper, switching gazes from Spike to Twilight and back again. “Well yeah. Remember when we agreed I’d be the first to catch up with you?”

“I thought you meant at the party,” replied Spike, taking another pancake in his mouth after.

She waved a dismissive hoof at the dragon. “Oh, silly, that won’t be a good time for that. We’ll all be too busy playing party games and stuff.”

Spike moved to answer, but Twilight glared at him. He stopped, chewed what was in his mouth, swallowed. “Well, I suppose. Twilight?” His spiked tail swayed back and forth and curled around the table base, lazily.

“It’s alright, Spike.” She shook her head to show she didn’t mind. Twilight wandered back over to her seat to continue her meal, picking up the blueberries with her magic. “You did promise her. And breaking a promise…” She lifted a hoof.

“Is the fastest way to lose a friend forever.” All three repeated the mantra in unison, laughing afterward. Spike smiled at the realisation that he still remembered that after all these years. He felt nostalgic suddenly, remembering all the good times he had with his six friends.

Pinkie sat down and raised a hoof, a serious expression on her face. “You’ve learned well, I see. Very well, I have nothing more to teach you.” The act didn’t last long, as the pink mare smiled and hopped up again. “Okie dokey, Spike. We’ve gotta lot of important stuff to catch up on.”

Spike smirked. He knew that whatever Pinkie had in mind, it would be good. Her ideas were always quite comical in his mind; she spoke and sang from her heart, which he had great respect for. He recalled the day in Appleloosa many years ago, when the colony’s ponies and the buffalo had a disagreement. He had thought that her song about sharing the buffalo land and not fighting with each other was true and in the right place, if only everypony else had thought so too. “Right, coming. Bye, Twilight.” He stood up and carried his empty plate over to the counter, placing it down and giving Twilight a hug.

“See you later,” she said as she returned the embrace. The two broke off and Spike looked over his shoulder once more at the lavender pony. Twilight waved and he waved back.

When he and Pinkie Pie were outside, Spike drew in a deep breath of fresh air. He exhaled and glanced around at the neighborhood. Four years had made such a difference for the once small town. Much of what he remembered had changed and grown immensely, he almost didn’t recognize some of the houses or stores. Many businesses had expanded along with the population, no longer being a small rural town location, but a bonafide city.

He spotted a few ponies he knew and smiled happily that they seemed to still be enjoying themselves. Some, like Lyra and Cheerilee, turned and waved to him as they went along their way. The purple dragon waved back of course, and his vision switched to take in the scenery.

It was muggy this morning, surprising to the dragon, considering the different perception of weather that he had from looking out of the dining room window of Twilight’s home. A light mist hung in the air, low drifting clouds seeking to add to the oppressive atmosphere. Spike could see larger, lighter clouds further up in the sky and made an educated guess as to what types they were. Cirrus or stratocumulus, altocumulus; he wasn’t absolutely sure. Princess Celestia had just started teaching him about the different formations of water vapour, so his guess was as good as anypony’s.

He took his attention away from the clouds and focused on the first friend to catch up with him on his adventures. “So Pinkie, what do you want to do first?”

Pinkie turned toward him, looking surprised and somewhat confused, he thought. “Oh, I don’t know, I hadn’t really thought it out.” Spike rolled his eyes at the pink pony. He should have expected this from her. She rarely planned anything out; just going by what interested her at the time. She was so different from Twilight, always spontaneous and bouncy, but he found that uplifting. “Ooh ooh, I would like to see those wings of yours, though.”

“My wings?” Spike asked, looking to either side of him as he stretched his wings out slightly. _They are in need of some exercise,_ Spike pondered.

Pinkie nodded at the dragon as he puzzled her request. “Yeah, look, I brought my flying gizmo.” She turned away from him and pointed at the machine, resting off to the side of Twilight’s library.

Spike followed where her hoof was leading him and smiled when he saw it; a mish mash of anything and everything you could think of. Propellers, rudders, a bike seat, cup holders, bike pedals, an umbrella in case it rained, the list went on. “Alright,” he said, glad to see that contraption again.

Pinkie, grinning from ear to ear at him, trotted over and hopped onto the bike seat and began pedaling. The propeller spun, gears shifted, lift was achieved, and altitude gained. She rose up as Spike looked on in amusement. He unfurled his massive wings and took to the skies, flying level with Pinkie.

“Whoa! That’s so neat. Do you fly around all the time?” The earth pony became so enraptured with his flight she stopped pedaling, until Pinkie began to descend; then she remembered how far off the ground she was and leveled off again.

Spike shook his head. “Not all of the time, but I sure was excited when the princesses told me I could use them. Princess Luna actually taught me while she wasn’t too busy. That was early on when they were new. I couldn’t actually fly, but she explained how it worked.” _She also explained why I shouldn’t fly when around ponies I don’t recognise._ He tried to keep from frowning upon remembering what the Guardian of the Night and Protector of Dreams had told him. The fact that she had been right only bothered him more.

“Ooooh, that’s so cool, Spike. Hey, I have an idea! We should go and tell everypony about the party later. That way you can also catch up with all of them! I usually just give out fliers, but while I was writing them, I thought maybe you should be the one to let them know this time.”

“That makes sense to me.” _I wonder how far she was in writing those letters before she thought of that though._ That thought made him a bit sad, hoping she didn’t waste too much time on his invitations. He couldn’t think too long on that though, not with Pinkie staring at him joyfully. “So Pinkie, what have you been up to?”

“Hm, about four feet,” said Pinkie, lifting her hoof up to rest on her forehead.

“What are you–? That’s not what I meant…Pinkie!” Spike glared at the pink pony, but she just smiled back innocently. Within a few seconds though, Spike smiled too. He chuckled. “I meant have you done anything interesting while I was away?”

“Eh, not really,” she shrugged. _I find that hard to believe,_ Spike thought. She was always off doing something that he found interesting, but he guessed she was just putting on a show of it. “Parties and such. The twins are growing up quickly, they’re so cute. They can speak in full sentences now.”

“Wow, time sure flies doesn’t it?”

“Uh huh, especially when you’re a dragon.” Pinkie winked and nudged the dragon’s arm, forcing Spike to crack a sharp-toothed smile.

“And…what about Rarity?” he asked, tension suddenly consuming him. _Where did that come from? Why did I ask that?_

His brain didn’t return an answer; instead what he received was Pinkie replying, “Oh, me and Rarity have been hanging out a lot more over the years. She’s been teaching me how to sew. That’s a ton of fun, she’s a good teacher.” Spike tried to imagine Rarity attempting to have Pinkie remain in one place and have her attention focused for long enough to explain what to do. He also imagined much bouncing and groaning and books and fabric flying everywhere. _I’d like to see that,_ he thought. Pinkie smirked abruptly, her eyes lidded. She said in a hushed tone, “Why? Do you still like her?”

Spike remembered back to the day he told both Pinkie Pie and Twilight about his crush on the gorgeous mare, but now he regretted telling her. _Although I suppose it was pretty obvious anyway, looking back on it._ “Yeah…I do.”

“Oooh, well you have an entire day with her. Are you going to tell her?”

“I don’t know,” Spike said, his face reddening. “I’m a little worried about what she’d say. I tried once…at Princess Cadence and Shining Armour’s wedding, but she said I was too young. And I understand that, I do…it’s just…now, after four years away…I’m not sure she knows me anymore. I mean…look at me.” This had been his biggest problem with returning after so much time had passed. He knew he looked like a dragon, as far as he knew he was the only one of his kind to be friends with ponies; even so, over the years ponies looked at him differently as he grew. Some saw him the same way they always had, but others only went wide-eyed and silent when he went around Canterlot. _If I wasn’t something Rarity would want as a child, why would she want a giant, ferocious looking adult dragon?_

Pinkie Pie continued to pedal her little mismatched flying machine. He didn’t think she looked at all fatigued by the continuous activity, she smiled brightly at him. “I’m looking at you. I just don’t see what the problem is.”

Spike craned his neck. He didn’t really know what to say to that. He hadn’t planned on talking about this, but he wasn’t exactly in a position to back out now. Allotting what nerve he had left to this awkward conversation, he continued. “I’m scary looking…aren’t I? I see it in everypony’s eyes…whenever I travel. They’re afraid that I’ll…that I’m…”

“What?” She tilted her head quizzically, awaiting his reply.

Spike’s words caught in his throat. _I can’t say it. I just can’t._ He lowered his head down and turned it away from Pinkie, not wanting her to see him so unhappy. He didn’t want to see her glad expression fade because of him. “I don’t know.”

“Well, don’t worry about what others think,” she said. Spike raised his head at her sudden answer. Pinkie was still smiling, perhaps more brightly than before. “They don’t know you, so how can they be right about what you’re like? You’re never mean to me, or Twilight, or Rarity or anypony. Just remember that your friends know you’re not scary and don’t mind those who can’t see that.”

“Wow, Pinkie. Thank you, that means a lot to me.” It had, truly. Spike felt warmth flow through him. He had been silly to think that she would give any different kind of reply; she was his friend after all. It was truly ridiculous to think that anypony he knew would see him differently. All of those times back in Canterlot, with startled and frightened ponies, disappeared into the back of his mind.

“Don’t mention it. Now come on, we have ponies to catch up with.”

“Right behind you, Pinkie.” With those irrational, self-conscious thoughts set firmly aside, Spike and Pinkie Pie landed so she could put her flying machine back behind the library. The dragon waited outside, waving to more ponies as they trotted by. When the magenta-maned pony returned with that typical bounce in her step, the two friends headed off to the marketplace.


	5. Chapter 5

Spike

The marketplace was already busy and bustling when they arrived. Ponies had set up their stands and others wandered the streets for a meal or a trinket or treasure. Out of the corner of his eye, Spike saw some ponies quivering or backing away from him, looking spooked.

Some gasped and averted their gazes when he locked eyes with them. He didn’t blame them, even here of all places, but he still ground his teeth together self-consciously, muscles tensing. Spike assumed they probably hadn’t been living in Ponyville when he was younger, and feared his presence here now. After four years, he still wasn’t accustomed to this sort of treatment. Spike tried his best to ignore it though.

As he explored down the streets, with Pinkie Pie beside him, Spike had to be quite careful not to hit somepony or something with his long, spiked tail. Luckily, he had experience with crowded streets in Canterlot, so he managed well enough. Ponies explored along the carts as possessions and jewels from faraway lands, food and drink, perfume and clothing and all manner of interesting items lined the kiosks.

Spike and Pinkie Pie ventured forth into the crowded streets and spoke with the stall owners and passersby about his ‘Welcome back to Ponyville’ party. Many of the patrons and sellers recognised him after he said that, some even from his voice or appearance alone. He was happy to see that most of the ponies here weren’t especially fearful of him.

“My word, Spike, you certainly have grown,” Daisy said, as she watered her flowers. “How have you been all these years?” Bon Bon asked after dropping some sweets from her tray, realising who it was talking to her as she turned back to the stall. Spike apologised for startling her and offered to help pick up the sweets, but she waved a hoof, saying it was fine. She was surprised to see him all grown up, but she insisted it was a pleasantry to see him again.

The streets were truly cramped. It was quite reminiscent of Canterlot’s streets, he noted. Spike conversed with most of the passersby, sometimes drawing a crowd, ponies wanting to see who this eight foot-long dragon could be. Once they saw the colouration of his scales and spines, they stopped whatever they were doing and listened in, having their turn to speak with him afterward. “What have you been doing with yourself?” Mrs. Cake asked from over her own table. “When did you get those huge wings?” said Matilda, putting the lamp she was holding down on one of the kiosks to see him.

“I bet you get some serious altitude with those things,” Scootaloo said. Her mane and tail were in the same style as the last time he saw her, long and messy, violet in colouration; her coat had an orange hue to it. She was on a height with the other ponies now, having a bit of a growth spurt sometime in the last few years. Seeing that her wings had grown along with her, Spike was interested to know when she started growing and if she could now fly. “Hmm, I’d have to say around a year and a half ago,” she replied. “Me, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom grew at about the same time. And I can fly, but not for very long. Training with Rainbow Dash to bear the strain helps, but at times it’s too much to take.”

“I have supports to lessen the strain on my bones and muscles though. It’s enough for me just to be able to fly with her; I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Scootaloo answered in a way that warranted no pity from him, so Spike swallowed his sympathies and instead smiled brightly at the orange pegasus. She seemed happy enough with herself, so he decided to change the subject.

“Do all three of you have your cutie-marks now?”

“Oh, yeah! Check it out.” Scootaloo turned to show off her cutie-mark: a red wheel with a purple streak of lightning behind it.

“Cool.” He nodded. A smirk eased its way onto his face as something from her fillyhood days crossed his mind. “So are your crusading days over then?” _I wonder if all that crusading actually helped them in the end to find their talents._ He held in a chuckle as he saw Scootaloo’s face contort in surprise. _From that expression, I’d say yes._

“Far from it.” She waved a fore hoof in front of her. “Now we have a different goal. We’re gonna help other ponies to earn their cutie-marks by recruiting the next generation of crusaders. We’re gonna make sure no bullies like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon make pony lives miserable again.”

_They sure have grown up,_ Spike thought. _I never would have expected this from them four years ago._ Sure they were quite generous back then, even adding a new member to their group, Applebloom’s cousin Babs Seed. _I wonder if she’s doing the same thing as they are now._ Babs Seed had come down on the train to Ponyville to see Applebloom when they were fillies; after a bit of a complication between them, the Crusaders made Babs Seed an official member and gave her charge to watch over Cutie-Mark Crusader operations in her home city, Manehattan. “That’s a great idea. Have you seen them recently?”

“Yeah, actually,” she responded as she stepped aside to let somepony pass. “They’re not as mean as they were. After we all earned our cutie-marks, they sort of lost their main source of bullying topics.”

“Well, that’s good. Must be a relief.”

Scootaloo groaned with a grin. “You don’t know the half of it.”

On all sides of the purple dragon, ponies waved and shouted out greetings. It was becoming crowded where he stood, with more and more ponies coming to speak with him or purchase something from one of the stalls. Spike turned and weaved expertly as the traffic continued, but he soon realised that this would have to wait for another time. “Would you pass on the party message to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle for me? I’d like to catch up with them at the party as well. You’ve grown so much.”

“Same to you, and I will.” She smiled at him, probably having the same thoughts about having this conversation elsewhere. “I’m actually going to see them now; we’ve got some new recruits to speak with.”

“I’ll leave you to it then.”

The day went on and Spike spoke with all he could find; Pinkie Pie was awfully quiet for usually being so bouncy all of the time. He was a little worried at one point and asked her about it. “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she had reassured him. “I’m just letting you catch up with everypony. It’s no big deal.”

“It’s just…I’ve never seen you so quiet before. Is something wrong?”

Pinkie Pie shook her head happily, retaining that glad smile. “Nopey dopey, I’m just thinking of all the things we can do after this. This shouldn’t take long after all, since you’ve talked to most of the ponies already. The rest will spread the word.”

Spike laughed softly. “I guess you know what you’re doing then. Just warn me when you become quiet again, I’m not accustomed to that.”

“Sorry,” Pinkie giggled. “I will.”

The rest of the time at the market went along smoothly, nopony fled in fear of the dragon and Pinkie Pie became her usual, bouncy self again. She hopped around and gobbled any interesting looking treat that she could see, and Pinkie had excellent vision. “Cupcake?” Pinkie had held up a cupcake for Spike to try near the end of the line of tables, but he declined politely. When all was said and done, the two friends stood on the opposite side of the market from where they had entered.

Spike sat down as he stared back at the street they had just left, a steady smile gracing his lips. He turned to Pinkie, standing next to him. “Do you think we told everypony?” he asked.

Pinkie Pie giggled and stared up at him. Even when seated, Spike was taller than her. It didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest though, something the dragon was eternally grateful for. If anypony was unaffected by his change in stature, it was Pinkie. “Well, if we haven’t, I’m sure the ponies we did talk to will pass it along. Come on, we have things to do and ponies to see; the first being, of course, seeing how much the twins have grown.”

“Great,” said Spike. “I’d really like to see them.” Though something nagged at him, his smile faded. The last time he’d seen Pound and Pumpkin was when he was on a height with them; now he was much larger in comparison. _What if they don’t recognise me?_ he thought, worriedly. _What if I scare them?_ He clenched his teeth tightly, fearing what could happen, but when he saw the bright smile covering Pinkie’s face, he allowed himself to relax a little. _She doesn’t seem to have any worries about it. Okay, here goes._ “Ready then?” His voice sounded much weaker than he wanted it to.

“Sure, Mr. Cake should have them up by now. Let’s go!” Pinkie bounded off toward Sugarcube Corner, leaving Spike with nothing to do but follow along. Tension was still growing in his stomach. He’d seen the reactions from animals that didn’t know him, mostly fully grown ones, so how would a couple of foals look at him? _Just calm down,_ he told himself gently. _Try not to think about it._

He distracted himself with ideas of what to do after; things that maybe Pinkie Pie had also thought of. _Some games or pranks, perhaps?_ He’d been at the receiving end of one of them many years before, maybe this time he could be her partner in crime. She could teach him a few baking recipes too. He enjoyed learning new recipes, especially ones as tasty as the ones she made. Spike’s eyes widened as he realised something; it had been so long since he had had one of her pastries, he could barely recall the taste. That would have to be rectified, he noted.

“Here we are, Spike,” Pinkie said with a flourish, removing the dragon from his thoughts.

Spike glanced up from the gravel path that he had been staring at to take in the colours and designs of the bakery. The roof looked like gingerbread, with white icing traced around the edges. At the foot of the building, purple steps led up to a pink door, festooned with swirls and stripes that attracted visitors. On either side of the door were pink rimmed windows, off level with one another in such a fashion that warranted no complaints. It wasn’t symmetrical, but that didn’t matter. A sign hung from the side of the shop, a cupcake in a purple paper cup with bright pink frosting on top.

Opposite the signpost was a small garden of flowers, Mrs. Cake’s favourites: petunias and roses, if Spike recalled correctly. Back on the top of the roof a sort of tower rested, looking like two cupcakes piled neatly on top of one another. With windows arranged all around the upper levels, it looked incredibly tasty to the emerald-eyed dragon.

“I think somepony is hungry,” Pinkie said with a smirk, upon hearing Spike’s stomach growl no doubt.

Spike’s cheeks turned a light shade of red as he chuckled. “Yeah, I guess so. I suppose all the talking and wandering around took longer than I thought.”

The pink pony giggled while she bounced along happily. “Don’t worry. There should be plenty of food at Sugarcube Corner. Come on,” she said, pushing open the new double doors to the sweet’s shop. She held them open for Spike to follow; he was glad that even as large as he was, he could fit through without any effort. The bell atop the doorframe jingled as they entered, and soon Mr. Cake descended from the upper floor to take their orders.

He was an older pony than Spike’s friends, roughly forty years old now, though he did not appear to have aged much. His coat held a bright yellow tinge, with three slices of carrot cake as his cutie-mark. Mr. Cake’s curly mane and tail were the same orange colour from four years prior as well. His jaw was thin and long, but sturdy, and of course, his hat rarely left his head.

Mr. Cake spotted the purple dragon when he reached the bottom and he squinted in concentration, leaning in slightly for a better look. Spike waved uneasily at the pony, wondering what he would say once he realised who was standing in his store. Mr. Cake’s green eyes seemed to light up in recognition as he walked forward to greet him. “Spike? Is that you?”

“It sure is, Mr. Cake,” Pinkie said. “He’s come back for a visit.”

“Well, haven’t you grown? I barely recognised you.”

Spike scratched the back of his neck, feeling relieved at his reaction. “Yeah, so everypony’s been telling me. How has business been? I’ve missed this place deeply since I left.”

“Oh, it’s going well. Just finished an order for Manehattan and Cloudsdale in fact; ponies are really starting to appreciate our baking.”

“That’s good. I’m glad. You deserve the attention. They are quite tasty after all.” _They sure are._ He licked his lips at the thought of tasting a cupcake again. _That sapphire-studded cupcake with blue frosting was the best._ He tried to keep a smile on his face as that train of thought reminded him of what he did and what he became shortly after he accepted that gift, and all the others. _A beast out of greed._

Pinkie Pie bounded forward, grabbing the older pony’s attention. “Hey, Mr. Cake, speaking of tasty treats, Spike’s a bit hungry. Do you think he could grab a bite here quickly?”

“Oh sure, go right ahead.” Mr. Cake waved a fore hoof at them to show that he didn’t mind. “It’s been so long since I saw you; it’s the least I can do. Anything else I can help you with?”

“I also brought Spike along to see the twins,” said Pinkie before Spike could reply. When she was excited, no one could speak as rapidly as her. Spike sighed lightly and let her talk for him. _I’m not sure if I’d ever be able to bring myself to ask anyway,_ he thought. “Are they awake?” Pinkie’s voice broke him from his imaginings.

“Oh yes, I just went to check on them. They’re in the usual spot, go on up.” Mr. Cake trotted behind the counter and into the back. “You have perfect timing, as usual. Could you keep an eye on them until I’m back, Pinkie?”

“Sure! Thanks! Come on, Spike.”

“Right behind you,” he said, his anxiety resurfacing. Spike still wasn’t sure about this. He knew how children sometimes reacted to seeing him in Canterlot. Of course, many more wanted to stare at him in awe or see his sharp claws and teeth, but he dreaded the possibility that the Cake’s twins were part of the first group. He didn’t want to scare them.

When he put his clawed hand on the first step though, it creaked. This brought to mind the similar experience he’d had at Twilight’s house. The stairs in this shop didn’t seem to be built for a dragon his size; even the width of the staircase was stretching it for him. If he did manage to ascend the steps with no incident, Spike still couldn’t fit through the doorways. He began to sweat.

“What are you waiting for, Spike?” Pinkie asked, turning from the staircase to look at the dragon. Even a few steps up, Spike was still taller than her. It would have amused him on any other day, but right now he was too nervous to notice it beyond a passing glance.

He met her eyes grudgingly. Spike thought he saw something click with her, or she was just worried for him. Either way, he was stuck in terms of evading the question; he had to respond now. He cleared his throat, feeling a lump forming there that would otherwise prevent him from speaking clearly. “You should probably bring them down here. I won’t be able to squeeze into any of those rooms.” His jaw tightened at the half truth. _Well, that’s one of the reasons anyway._ _I can’t tell her the other reason._ Having the twins come to see him would be easier on them all, and it might lessen the shock of seeing a dragon in their house having them come to him. “It’s the same at Twilight’s house.”

“Awww, that’s too bad.” Pinkie looked heartbroken, something he never would have expected from her. It was odd to him; Spike wondered if she had put herself in his place, realising that the rooms he once had no trouble entering were now off limits to him. In Canterlot, the steps and doorways were built for either a pony of Princess Celestia’s size or for multiple ponies so they could fit through at once; he could jump on the stairs and not hear any creaks either. Here though, he was afraid he’d fall through, breaking the wooden planks and causing grief for whoever was present. The slight frown on Pinkie’s face didn’t leave, but she nodded her head in comprehension. “Okie dokey lokie! Wait right there.”

She ascended the steps with the liquorice railings two at a time through bouncing, and disappeared down the upper hallway. Spike saw no other option open to him at this point, so he took a seat at one of the empty tables. Mr. Cake trotted over, placed a plate of assorted sweets, such as lemon and red velvet cupcakes, chocolate chip and afghan cookies and custard squares. He told him that it was on the house and left him to the meal. The dragon thanked the pony and stared down at his food.

Now that he was here, a knot had formed in his stomach. He didn’t feel as hungry as he had been outside, but he managed to pick up a cupcake and gobble it down. It was bite sized to him. Spike’s taste buds smiled. He’d forgotten the lovely taste of these treats. His hunger found him again as he took one baked good at a time into his claws and munched on them. They were much smaller than he remembered, but he just as quickly realised that his size then and now differed greatly. _I’d need at least ten of these to equal one in my stomach now,_ he thought with a smirk.

As Spike waited for the inevitable, he decided to take in the interior of the store. Pillars striped with the colours of candy canes held up the roof inside, with walls that looked like different shades of gingerbread all around him. Pink and brown display tables presented the multitude of delectable sweets that the Cakes made, tables and chairs arranged around the room for ponies to sit and enjoy their meals. Another door led off to the baking room, where all of the bowls and measuring cups and utensils were stored. Balloons were tied down to side tables and streamers hung from random places, with pink banners hanging down from the ceiling here and there.

Once more, his gaze fell on the staircase as the pink mare returned. She must have been speaking to the twins as they followed her down to the first level. He couldn’t really make out what Pinkie was saying, but he guessed it had something to do with a special guest coming in for a visit. That brought a smile to his lips. Pinkie Pie was also trying to lessen the strain on him and the twins by warning them ahead of time.

“Oh, here he is guys!” Pinkie shouted, stepping aside as she reached the last step, allowing Pound and Pumpkin Cake to see who she was introducing. Her hoof was pointed at him as she glanced at the little ones.

Pumpkin’s orange mane had grown longer, brushing against her neck as she walked. Her coat was a light brown colour, while her eyes were a delightful shade of blue. She was taller than the last time Spike saw her, two and a half feet shorter than Pinkie Pie, and she was about the same height as her twin, Pound. His beige coat complemented his brown eyes well, while his mane and tail had become a darker brown colour; the Cakes had kept his mane short and out of his eyes, his expression unreadable. They lined up and turned to Spike obediently. “Remember him?”

Spike waved at them, trying to retain a happy grin while not showing too many teeth. _Well, they aren’t running away or screaming,_ he thought to himself. _That’s a start._ Still, he wouldn’t keep his hopes up, or risk having them broken. The twins merely stared at him for a time; seconds, minutes, hours, he didn’t know how long. He wanted something to happen, at least then he’d know to be sad, but all they did was look at him. Until, “Spikey!”

They both shouted it in unison, startling Spike from his dreadful imaginings. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but found no words forming, so he quickly closed it again. Spike realised that his wing muscles were tightened against his sides in stress. Allowing them to relax, his wings dropped to the floor in relief. _Did they just say…?_ “You remember me?” he finally managed, stepping up from his seat at the table to stand before the three ponies.

“Of course they do, Spike!” Pinkie replied, hopping closer. Pound followed behind her a few paces as she continued to speak. “I made sure they knew everypony, and you’re a part of ‘everypony’.”

Spike stared from one face to the next, completely dumbfounded. _How do they know me? It’s been four years, weren’t they too little?_ After thinking that, he realised he actually meant to say it. He took a seat a few feet in front of Pinkie and willed himself to form the words. “But how could they know what I look like?”

Pinkie shrugged. “Well, for one thing, you’re the only dragon they know. There’s no mistaking that. As for the second, we made sure they’d recognise you using pictures. Everypony else dropped by to see them a lot, so that was fine, but you were a bit trickier; so Twilight thought that we could remind them that you were a friend of theirs too, even when you were in Canterlot.” Her smile switched to a devious smirk in a split second and turned to Pound and Pumpkin, an action Spike didn’t like in the slightest. “Well? What are you waiting for? Go get him!”

Without further coaxing, but with a ton of giggling, the twins leapt onto the dragon ambassador. He toppled over in surprise, catching them and holding them securely against his chest. They were laughing all the while, not bothered by Spike at all. Even when they saw the claws he held them with or the sharp teeth that made themselves known when he smiled at them, the twins did not recoil. Pumpkin Cake was the first to wriggle out of his strong, but gentle arms. She hopped off of his chest and nuzzled his cheek affectionately.

Smiling sweetly at the show, Spike picked Pound off of his chest and set him down, sitting up to regain his composure. _They really do know me._ Warmth began to form in his chest. Of course, his chest was always heated; having a chest full of fire, but this was a different kind of heat. He scooped them up in his arms again and gave them a gentle hug. “I missed you guys so much!”

Spike heard Pinkie sigh happily, as the twins wrapped their tiny hooves halfway around his neck; they couldn’t make it all the way round at any rate, even together, but still Spike felt glad for the attempt. “Spike!” The two of them shouted one after the other, until he sat them down again. “We missed you, Spike,” Pumpkin said. “Where did you go?” Pound murmured.

Pinkie trotted up to the purple dragon and placed a fore hoof on his lower arm; her smile seemed to say, ‘ _told you so.’_ Spike smirked as his cheeks became flushed. _Rub it in, why don’t you?_ His wordless reply presented itself in one of his own facial expressions.

However, before either of them could actually say anything, Mr. Cake reappeared at the front of the shop. “Alright you two, I think we should have some play time. Grab your crayons and favourite toys and let’s have some fun.” He turned to Spike, with a smile. “Would you like to stay for a bit, Spike? I’m sure they would want to have you here too.”

The eight foot-long dragon glanced at the twin ponies, staring back at him with hope in their eyes. Spike pondered, placing a claw to his chin. _Do they really want me to stay with them? They’re probably waiting to prank me like they did Pinkie Pie._ The magenta-maned mare had told everypony about the foalsitting trouble a few days after it happened. The twins had been too much for her to deal with, until the very end; neither of them listening to her, messing up the house and using magic and flying all over the place haphazardly. And the only remedy for each situation Pinkie Pie had been in was covering herself with flour. He wished he would have been there to see that part though.

Those looks they were giving him seemed mighty suspicious to the dragon right now. He shook his head lightly. _And what’s so bad about a little prank? I’m…sure it’s not as bad as she said it was._ The longer he stared into those pleading faces, the brighter his smile became. Pinkie’s hoof remained in place on his arm, but she now sat in front of him, waiting with a hopeful glint in her own eyes. Spike laughed pleasantly. “Sure, I’d love to.”


	6. Chapter 6

Rarity

Her mane was in a state of disarray as she looked into her dresser mirror. Her reflection stared back at her with a grimace; slight bags had developed beneath the mare’s eyes during the night. Rarity groaned at her mirror self, magicking her comb up to fix the mess of hair.

She had woken startled in the middle of the night, her mane and tail frazzled from a loud thumping. Having feared that what was in her dreams had come to life, the white unicorn had clung to her sheets for comfort. When the noises did not continue, however, she stepped out from under her covers and gingerly walked up to the windows, pulling back the curtain and peering out cautiously. It was dark out, the moon large in the sky and the stars twinkling harmlessly. There had been nothing in her scope of vision that warranted panic, but in her waking mind she had still believed that something was watching her.

She had calmed herself down after a few moments of worry and berated herself afterward for being spooked. Rarity, feeling her eyes grow lidded for want of sleep, had crawled back into bed and tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep, consumed by the stress of yet another dream.

_The same as before…another horrible nightmare,_ she remembered thinking, rolling over to see the sunrise through her closed silken, purple curtains. A pained expression marred her face as the memory resurfaced. Ponyville was once again ablaze; however, this time Rarity was within her boutique. The fire had spread all throughout her poor town and had begun to make its way inside the shop. She was trapped. Her windows were broken. Pieces of glass lay shattered on the floor, the drapes burned wildly, encased in green flames.

The white mare had sat curled in a corner, sweat dripping from her forehead and body, from the fire’s sweltering heat or her own stress, she did not know. From without her store she had heard the faint sound of birds chirping, the rumbling of the earth, roars of anger; Rarity had staggered to her hooves, knowing that if she stayed any longer she would burn alive. She did not know where to go, nowhere had been safe, and so when she did leave, the teary-eyed unicorn galloped for the outskirts of Ponyville.

She had regained consciousness then, from the noise of birds on the rooftop and outside her window fluttering about. Rarity hadn’t been able to fall asleep again.

_What is happening to me?_ She steadied the comb, still held in her magic, and finished brushing her mane out, the natural curls of her violet-hued hair shining brightly in the mirror. Rarity’s lower lip began to tremble. _How can I be thinking of this when Spike…?_ She placed the comb back on her dresser and sat on her haunches, her eyes closed to hold back her tears. _Oh, I’m so sorry Spike. I can’t help it…you are a dragon._ She bit her lip to try to stop her shaking. _How can I think he would do such things?_

Taking a deep breath, the seamstress magicked the dresser drawer open and stared down at the heart-shaped gem, alone at the bottom. It was contained within a large golden necklace that she had created four years ago to hold the lovely gift. Rarity took it in her hooves and rubbed at the perfectly formed facets of the jewel. _Months of aging had been put into this,_ Rarity recalled, _and I took it from him._ The smile she now had was timid and broken, remembering grudgingly now how she received it.

On the same day that the dragon was consumed with greed and grew to that immense size, she had seen Spike with it and used her charm to collect it from him. It was his birthday present to himself. _I feel so terrible about this, but I doubt he’d let me return it to him now._ With a sad sigh and a last squeeze of the present, she placed the object on top of the dresser and closed the drawer.

Yesterday, when she had gone to the marketplace, her thoughts and feelings were jumbled together; what she had done was inexcusable. In her search to see the purple dragon flush in affection for her, Rarity had pushed him too far. Wandering down the dirt roads, she had racked her mind for why she had done that in the first place. _If I hadn’t been so eager, Spike wouldn’t be upset right now,_ she thought. _After all I said to him about waiting, and I do that! What kind of a friend am I?_

When she had returned to her home that night, Rarity was no closer to knowing what feelings she had toward the eight foot-long dragon. All she knew was that she was frightened of his claws and teeth and tail, a fact she hated having to admit to. She ate in silence, not having the stomach to finish her sweet mince pie, and after cleaning the dishes, she went to her bedroom. It took Rarity much tossing and turning before she drifted off into that troubled, disturbed slumber she still envisioned.

As she placed her fore hooves on the dresser to pull herself up off the pink carpet floor, Rarity remembered back when Spike had gone on a journey to find himself. The Great Dragon Migration. She was so worried for him and decided to go after him, with Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash; she was right to do so it turned out, as an image of those older dragons flashed before her eyes. _Ruffians._ She tightened her jaw as she sniffed softly. _No, Spike is not like them. He’s sweet and kind and caring, and oh so cute when he’s nervous. My little Spikey-Wikey, he still wants to be called that._

Standing on all four hooves now, she tidied herself up in front of the mirror and descended to the lower floor. The fabulously coiled railings of the staircase complimented her home perfectly, red mahogany held firmly in place by metal worked into tremendously intricate designs. The white unicorn stopped a moment to take in the masterpiece she herself helped to plan: wave patterns of metal, just beneath the mahogany played across the top, while below straight vertical pieces in sets of three divided the sections. Arranged in each column was a gorgeous heart which split off from the main piece and curled out to delicately touch the borders. Within those hearts was an ornamental ring, which was her thought of positive perfection.

As she ran her hoof along the railing, lost in thought, Rarity caught the scent of a delectable smell arising from the kitchen. _Why whatever could that be?_ Her eyes shut in delight as the smell pervaded the area. “Sweetie Belle?” she said, opening her eyes once more as she realised there was only one other pony it could be.

“Good morning, sister!” a sing-songy voice replied from the other room. The soft and sweet sound of her voice brought a small smile to the mare’s lips. She descended the remaining steps and stared around at her living room as she made her way into the kitchen. Over the years and through her business swiftly expanding, many renovations were necessary to keep up with her designs. The rooms were far more spacious now, and her aesthetically pleasing furniture and stylish decorations reflected her success. Rarity was proud to have come so far in her line of work.

She stepped into the open kitchen area, the rooms merely divided by a wide doorway, and saw her little sister frying something on the pan. Sweetie Belle had a curly mane and tail of pink and light purple, while her eyes were a beautiful shade of green. Those eyes twinkled with innocence as she gazed at her older sister, but Rarity knew that those giant circles could become an inescapable guilt trip, if necessary. Her coat was white, like Rarity’s, and her cutie-mark was rosemary and thyme.

“My Sweetie Belle, you’ve certainly gone all out this time.” There were several bowls on the counter top, inside each were the remnants of whatever ingredient was in it; vegetarian sausage, sweet potatoes and creamy butter, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, onions, spinach and eggs.

A skillet sat off to the side of the stove, while the prepared meal cooked in the oven. The aroma smelled heavenly to the proper lady. Rarity watched as the purple- and pink-maned pony maneuvered around the kitchen, cleaning the bowls out while she waited. _Buttering me up with food, I see._ Though she knew her little sister’s tactic was having the desired effect on her all the same.

“Nothing’s too good for my older sister!” Sweetie Belle replied.

Rarity walked up to the countertop and took a seat in one of the high chairs. _She has also come a long way from not even knowing how to properly prepare toast,_ she thought with a giggle. As Sweetie Belle leaned down to check how the meal was finishing up, Rarity recalled why she hadn’t seen her last night. _Probably a good thing too, what with the state I was in._ “So how was your sleep over at Applebloom’s house?” she asked nonchalantly.

“Oh, it was great.” Sweetie Belle answered. “We made some plans for this afternoon to discuss the new crusaders.”

_Ah yes,_ Rarity remembered. _The idea to pass the club’s ideals to younger ponies._ She nodded her head in understanding, so her sister would continue.

“I just want to thank you for that.”

“Why, whatever for dear?” Rarity tilted her head to the side questioningly. _What did I do to help with such things?_

Sweetie Belle had been looking down at the ground rather bashfully when she began, but now she tilted her head up to stare into Rarity’s eyes. “Well, if you hadn’t mentioned helping foals that would otherwise go through what we went through, we probably wouldn’t be crusaders anymore.”

Rarity touched a hoof to her chest, feeling warmth spread through her. “Oh. You are _most_ welcome Sweetie Belle. And I’m so proud of you for doing something so selfless. It’s very considerate of you and your friends.”

“Really?” Sweetie Belle had turned back to clean up the dishes, scrubbing the skillet and bowls meticulously, but she glanced Rarity’s way with curiosity and mild confusion. Hearing the alarm sound, the little pony opened the oven and brought out the breakfast. _Sweet potato casserole,_ Rarity knew it instantly. _Delightful_.

The cheddar-mozzarella cheese blend had melted perfectly atop the spinach and the crumble pastry crust, the scents of it wafting past the unicorn’s awaiting nostrils. Onions and cottage cheese were in the center of the scrumptious meal, bubbling and simmering from the heat of the oven. The pieces of sausage poked out the sides and top of the casserole to tease the senses and the awaiting taste buds. It was truly a mouth-watering meal.

The fashionista nodded her head sincerely, stepping in to the kitchen to set two plates with the food Sweetie Belle had prepared. “Of course. Now come along, Sweetie Belle. This lovely breakfast you prepared looks almost _too delicious_ to dismiss.”

The white unicorn stood on the front step to her house, saddlebags lay on each side of her slim form. A hoof was raised to her mouth in contemplation, as she thought about how to proceed. “Now, Spike should still be at the library. After all, Pinkie’s party isn’t until four o’ clock.”

Once breakfast was over with, Sweetie Belle had excused herself from the table in order to prepare for her meeting. Rarity had nodded of course and watched as she disappeared into the kitchen to clean the rest of the dishes. Rarity had stayed seated in the dining room, not really sure what she should do today.

That hadn’t changed much. She still didn’t have any ideas on how to spend her day, but the seamstress thought she should apologize to Spike. Though she didn’t really know how she would do that either without having Twilight suspect that something had gone wrong between them. _Doesn’t matter,_ Rarity thought sharply. _I still owe Spike an explanation._

With that out of the way, Rarity stepped down and began to trot over to the lavender alicorn’s house. It was a short distance, and many other ponies were out and about just as she was. _I also must explain myself to Twilight. We were so looking forward to our book reading yesterday; it was a shame to cancel. Perhaps we can reschedule._

She waved to ponies as she passed them by, greeting them with a pleasant smile. Mayor Mare stopped on her way to Town Hall to congratulate her on her new line of clothing. “Oh why _thank you_ , mayor; always nice to be appreciated for my work.” Rose was out watering her garden when she spotted the seamstress. “Good morning, Rose. My, your garden grows more _beautiful_ by the day.” The red-maned pony waved back with a broad, thankful grin. Rarity relaxed into her pace as she sauntered along, feeling like she could accomplish the task that she had set out for herself.

Her trip only lasted a few short minutes, and before she knew it, Rarity was knocking on the door to Twilight’s house. _I do hope he’s feeling better._ She grimaced. Having come all this way, she began to have doubts. She panicked. The fashionista felt her heartbeat quicken noticeably. _For what I said to him, I deserved that nightmare._ All that confidence she had gathered from her walk over here seemed to dissipate with that one thought and feeling. She remembered four years ago, having that same sort of dream after the incident with Spike. _These dreams began after I received the fire-ruby from him. Perhaps if I hadn’t taken it…he would not have lost himself. Could I be having these dreams because I took that gemstone?_ Rarity swallowed and shook her head. _Nonsense, I’m over thinking things. It’s totally unrelated._

Before Rarity could truly end her inner argument, she heard the front door swing open to reveal Twilight Sparkle. “Oh, hi, Rarity,” she said, stepping aside to allow the unicorn entry. “What brings you here?”

“Good morning, Twilight,” replied Rarity, trotting into the living room to speak more privately. “Actually, I just happened to be passing by and thought I’d drop in to chat with Spike.” The lie came easily to Rarity. It wasn’t so much as a lie as an over extension of the truth. “Is he here?”

Twilight shook her head. “Sorry, Rarity. He left earlier with Pinkie Pie. Apparently, they were also meant to hang out before the party, so our plans for the morning were cut a bit short.” Rarity noticed the pang of hurt crossing the princess’ face as she said that.

“Oh, I…I’m sorry to hear that,” said Rarity, trying to provide for Twilight what comfort she could. She rested a front hoof near the astute mare. “You know how Pinkie Pie can be. I know how much you want to catch up with him, we _all_ do. I’m sure you’ll have your chance, perhaps even at the party.”

“You’re right.” The lavender pony brightened slightly at her words. Twilight walked over to her kitchen and set some water to boil, turning her back to Rarity. “Would you still like to stay? I still have some cookies left over from our last reading session.”

“Why not? I was thinking about our missed book reading opportunity yesterday. I brought it over just in case you weren’t busy.” She levitated the book out of her saddlebags to show her friend. “Tea and cookies sound _lovely_.”

When the two friends sat down with their tea and their books, the air was peaceful; silent, but not too awkward for the unicorn’s liking. It was usually like this, calm and quiet. It was the perfect atmosphere for reading. Being in a library meant no loud noises would jar Rarity from imagining the world the author had created. This one was turning out to be a truly talented storyteller.

However, it seemed as though Twilight couldn’t keep still or focused. Rarity saw from out of the corner of her eye how the mare would fidget and glance at her every so often. It made her worry. Rarity knew her friend wanted to ask a question, but couldn’t will the words to form on her tongue. The white unicorn was well aware of that sort of dilemma. Years of courting had shown how nervous ponies could become when struggling to ask her out. It brought to mind all of the attempts Spike had made to gain Rarity’s attention. This little show wasn’t so different.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” she asked, setting her cup down onto the plate. Her eyes focused on the alicorn, as she drew in a breath.

“It’s about yesterday,” began Twilight, uneasily. The well-read pony set her cup down as well, but kept her book open, enveloped in her magic. “I talked to Spike after you left, but he wouldn’t say what was wrong. You seemed to know what was going on, so I was wondering if you could tell me. He seemed really upset.”

Rarity stared down at her book sadly. The fact that she knew this was going to come up didn’t do much about the lump that now formed in her throat, or about the quickening of her heart.

“That’s…actually why I wanted to see Spike. To apologize.” She brought her head up to match eyes with Twilight. Rarity could see the concern in them. It was almost too much for her to bear, but she pressed on. “I said some things I shouldn’t have…and it made him uncomfortable. I was coming to check up on him and make sure he was alright. I really did not mean to hurt him. I went too far.”

“You mean with the flirting?” Rarity nodded solemnly. “I thought it might have something to do with that.”

“I know he has feelings for me and I should not have said those things, but he looks so cute when he’s embarrassed.” Her eyes grew lidded, tears forming at the corners. “ _It’s my fault_.” Her mind flashed back to the night of the wedding; when she had said for Spike to wait a few years. The day after, he left for Canterlot, because of her. _I don’t know if I can tell her. How would she react?_

“Rarity?” Twilight said, standing up from the table to walk over and comfort the white mare. She placed a hoof over Rarity’s gently. “It’s okay, he’s over it. He seemed fine this morning.”

Her eyes squeezed shut. “No Twilight, _I’m_ the reason he left. _I’m_ the reason he moved to Canterlot.” Rarity shook her head, as if not truly hearing Twilight’s words. It was pouring out of her now, one word after the other. She had wanted to admit to this for so long, but didn’t have the courage to explain. Now it was too late to turn back. “That night in Canterlot, four years ago; after your brother and Princess Cadence left, Spike came to check on me. He knew how he felt about me and I…” Rarity swallowed and stared at the floor, sliding her hoof out from under Twilight’s. “I told him I couldn’t. His face at that, it broke my heart to see him so sad, but he was just a _baby_ dragon. I didn’t know what else to _do_. I said before he left…that in a few years, if he still felt that way about me, we could try again. I had no idea I had hurt him so much to make him leave. Twilight, you must _believe_ me, if I had known he would leave for four long years, I…”

She looked up and saw Twilight lean forward to hug the unicorn tightly. Rarity couldn’t believe it. She thought for sure the alicorn would hate her for what she had done. It was why she hadn’t been able to admit to it for so long. Rarity could only imagine how sad her friend had been this whole time, not having her number one assistant with her. “It’s alright. This wasn’t your fault. I’m glad you didn’t lie to him, Rarity. That would have been even worse.” Rarity’s eyes clenched shut to keep the tears from falling. _I don’t know if I lied. I’m not sure._ “I’m not mad, alright? You did what you thought was best, but please tell me. Tell me you didn’t say that to him out of pity.”

Rarity froze in Twilight’s tender grasp. _Was it? Was it just because I couldn’t bear to see Spike like that from what I had done? From what I said?_ There was silence. _How selfish of me…_ She lowered her head and pushed herself away from Twilight’s embrace gently. “Twilight, I…I can’t say that I didn’t say those things out of some pity toward him. I’ve been through that same sort of emotional trauma. But I cannot say for sure that there wasn’t something there either.”

After a brief pause in the conversation, the lavender alicorn nodded slowly. “Okay. I understand. Just…when the time comes, and he does ask you again…please think hard about how you feel.”

“Yes, of course. I will try to understand how I truly feel about him.”

Twilight was staring apprehensively at Rarity. It made the violet-maned pony a little self-conscious. The alicorn placed her book down on the table finally, as if just now realising she still held it in her magic. “Do you want to call it a day, Rarity?”

Rarity’s breath caught for a second, at a loss for words. “No, no,” she managed, trying her best to reassure her hostess of her composure and at the same moment, give herself time to think. “I’ll be fine. After all, I must know what will become of the Agra treasure.” _Yes, that’s it. A valid excuse._ “I’m ever so close.”

“Alright, I’m close to finished too.” However hesitant her reply sounded, Rarity was glad Twilight didn’t push the issue.

Once Rarity was on her way from the treehouse, after another hour of reading, she decided to pay Fluttershy a visit. _She’s always a pleasure to talk to after all, and I might acquire an idea of the design and manner of this party Pinkie Pie has in mind._ With a heavy weight lifting off her shoulders, the unicorn began to trot toward the pegasi’s cottage at the edge of town.


	7. Chapter 7

Twilight

“Goodbye!” cried Twilight, waving a front hoof as she stood in the doorway of the Golden Oaks Library. “Thanks for stopping over.”

She wasn’t sure if Rarity had been telling the whole truth; it seemed like she wanted to leave right after confessing all she had, but the unicorn looked sincere in what she revealed.

It shouldn’t have come as a shock that that was the reason Spike left four years ago. He hadn’t said specifically why he was leaving and Twilight didn’t think it appropriate to ask further, if his expression had been any indication. She missed him. It was difficult to wake up every morning to realise that her number one assistant would not be there. She was glad to have him back.

Twilight didn’t blame Rarity, she didn’t blame anypony for what happened; Rarity had done the right thing back then, at least in terms of the age difference between them. _Still, poor Spike,_ she thought. _The first time he works up the courage to ask her…well, there’s no point in worrying about it now. I just hope she thinks about it._

She stepped back into her home and shut the door with her magic. She had just finished the rest of her breakfast and had been looking for something to do. Rarity was a welcome encounter regardless of the context of the visit, but now she required another activity. She knew that Mayor Mare needed some assistance in town. _I don’t have anything else to do today, why not?_

Putting her book away on its proper shelf, Twilight once again pulled open the door and trotted out to the street. Clouds were covering the sky as the day drew on. The pegasi had planned a downpour today, to give the crops and flowers and trees an extra dose of water. It would be started after everypony arrived at the party though, meaning that it was the perfect time to hold an indoor bash.

As she was viewing the sky, Twilight’s ears pricked up in alarm, hearing the clop of hooves close behind her. She spun around and saw Scootaloo rocketing toward her, trying desperately to stop before they impacted. Twilight flinched and enclosed them both in her magic, managing to prevent the collision. After a few moments of staring at the other pony, Twilight placed her down gently and removed the magic field.

“Whoa, nice save! Sorry, Twilight. I guess I wasn’t paying much attention.” Scootaloo smiled bashfully at the alicorn. She had her wing braces on as well, some light plastics and metal to give the orange pegasus some extra support while flying.

“It’s alright, Scootaloo, it happens to all of us,” she said, chuckling to herself. _I should know all about that sort of thing._ “What were you in such a rush for?”

Scootaloo brightened, hopping in place happily. “Oh! I’m on my way to the Cutie-Mark Crusaders meeting.” Twilight saw her expression change again. She stopped bouncing and looked thoughtful, her hooves shifting the soil around. “Hey, do you wanna go to the meeting?”

“Huh? Me?” she asked, bringing a front leg up to her chest. Twilight hadn’t expected to be invited anywhere, but this proposition had the alicorn intrigued.

Scootaloo nodded enthusiastically. She was quickly gaining back her excited energy from a few minutes ago. “Sure! It would be awesome for our students to see you and learn about what you’ve studied.”

_This would be an excellent opportunity to gauge how much the three of them have grown and matured._ Twilight nodded in quick succession. “Yes. I’d love to.”

“Great! Come on, it’s about to start,” shouted the orange pegasus, speeding off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Twilight smiled and began trotting on her way, following the road and Scootaloo, to the old treehouse.

“Okay, so you just wait here and we’ll call you up when it’s time,” Sweetie Belle said, while the others stood around her. With the plan settled and the foals all in attendance, the three younger mares walked into the treehouse.

Twilight waited outside for her queue, the plan was that they would introduce today’s topic and then call her in. She had hidden her presence while the fillies and colts entered, standing right next to the girls, but invisible to everypony around her. Now she stood by the window just out of sight, listening to the mares speak to their students.

“So little fillies and colts, have any o’ you tried to get yer cutie-marks since our last meeting?” Applebloom asked cheerfully. She had a yellow coat and a mane and tail the colour of a red delicious apple. A pink bow was in her mane, and her cutie mark was two cupcakes with green icing and a slice of apple in each. Her hair had grown longer in four years, coming down to about her neck in a bit of a curl, and she was a head taller as well.

Twilight heard murmurs of ‘no’ and ‘yes’, all sounding unhappy and frustrated at their failed or nonexistent plans. “I tried cooking, but it didn’t go very well,” replied one filly, “Competitive candy eating doesn’t seem to be a special talent,” a group of fillies and colts mumbled replies of the affirmative. Twilight chuckled inwardly at the ideas they had come up with.

“Don’t feel bad,” Scootaloo reassured them smoothly. “There will be plenty of time for you to get your cutie-mark. It took us quite a while.”

“But today, before we get started, we’ve got a special somepony coming in to help with this lesson.” Twilight’s ears perked, hearing the words to make her entrance into the treehouse. Over the years, the three young mares rebuilt the house to suit their size more easily. Now many more ponies could fit in at a time, even able to fit adult ponies like Twilight comfortably. She made her way to the front, and once she heard Sweetie Belle say, “Please give a warm welcome to Twilight Sparkle!” she magicked the door open and stepped within the building.

“Hi, everypony, it’s nice to see you all,” said Twilight, smiling warmly to the awestruck crowd.

The silence didn’t last long, the ponies erupting into cheers and ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s, probably overwhelmed because a _celebrity_ was near them. The alicorn was still unaccustomed to all of the new attention she received, but it seemed to be less of a problem now; most ponies were familiar with her new form here and knew not to make much of a deal of it, but foals will be foals. _I guess I can’t blame them for it. If I could have met Star-swirl the Bearded, I might do the same thing._

“Wow, I never thought an alicorn as awesome as Twilight would come to one of these things,” cried one colt as he shouldered his way to the front, “What are you going to teach us today, Princess Twilight?” asked another pony from beside her, “Are you going to show us how to defeat evil creatures like changelings and stuff?” The ponies began to crowd around her, Twilight being backed up into a corner before she gained any ground.

She cleared her throat and spoke clearly, over the deafening crowd of hyper-active ponies with equally active imaginations. “Now, now, I’m only here to help you on the right track to receiving your cutie-mark. Don’t forget who brought you all here.”

The foals turned their attention back to the three young mares. “That’s right, I almost forgot. Does Twilight know you guys?”

Applebloom smiled, looking pleased with herself. The others stood up straight as the fillies and colts stared at them. “She sure does, but don’t sell yerself short there, Twilight. We wouldn’t be here as we are today if it hadn’t been fer you.”

“That’s right,” Sweetie Belle agreed. “And even though you didn’t earn your cutie-marks today, it doesn’t mean you should give up, or become angry. Earning your cutie-mark can be just as much fun as having one, if you let it. Along the way, we realized what Twilight told us was true.”

“You shouldn’t be worried about rushing to find your special talent,” Scootaloo said, walking up to the front of the crowd. “If you do, you end up missing out on spending time with friends and family and just plain having fun. Instead, you should try new things and find new friends, doing those things that you love to do.”

Applebloom trotted up to stand beside the pegasus. “Because someday, it might turn out that that thing ya did every day for fun actually was your special talent. It’ll come when it’s meant to, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t look for hints as to what it could be in everything ya do.”

_They have learned a great deal, haven’t they?_ Twilight sauntered up to stand next to the three ponies as well. “And if you do all of that, remembering to place having fun at the center of your focus, when you do finally earn your cutie-mark, it’ll mean so much more than if you were frustrated over it the whole time.”

“And the most important part: if somepony who has their cutie-mark is teasing you, don’t get upset,” the three said in unison. “Tell somepony what’s bothering you.”

The fillies and colts were silent after the lecture, eyes sparkling like diamonds at the four older ponies before them. “Wow!” said one, breaking out of the silence first. “That was awesome!” cried a filly in the front row. “I wanna be just like Scootaloo when I get my cutie-mark!” a pegasus colt shouted over the murmurs of the crowd. “Yeah? Well I want to be like Sweetie Belle.” an earth pony replied, shouldering her way to the front. “Don’t forget about Applebloom, she’s awesome!”

Once all was said and done, and the colts and fillies had gone off to explore for their special talents with renewed vigour, Twilight walked up to the three crusaders. All seemed to be in good spirits after what they heard the foals say. “Wow, girls, that was great. You sure have matured. With your help, I don’t think anypony will be able to shake those ponies’ resolves.”

“Thanks, Twilight. It means so much to us to have you say that,” Sweetie Belle said, blushing lightly.

“Yeah,” Applebloom added. “Ah mean, we meant what we said earlier. If ya’ll hadn’t taught us to be patient and enjoy ourselves, we’d probably be way different. Probably not a good kind o’ different either.”

Scootaloo walked back over to the group after shutting the treehouse door, looking pleased with herself. “We owe a lot to you and all our other friends. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, you all taught us so much. We’d just like to thank you for all that you did for us.”

“Oh, girls, you’re so welcome. I’m happy to help. But in a way, you helped me out too.” Twilight looked from face to face, finding a wide-eyed response on each of them, wondering what she meant. “When I first came to Ponyville I wasn’t interested in making friends, only studying to be better at magic. I already had my cutie-mark, I thought I had everything I needed, but everypony here, including you three, helped to show me that friendship is important too. I almost missed that, so thank you.”

The looks of pure unbridled wonder were enough for Twilight to see that her words meant a great deal to the ponies. She brought them in for a group hug, which they accepted happily. “As for you appreciating what everypony else did for you, I think you should tell them if you haven’t already. I’m sure they would really like hearing how they helped you in discovering who you are.”

“That’s a great idea, Twilight!” Scootaloo shouted, spreading her wings to gain some altitude.

“Yeah! We can have a huge get together and tell all of them what they mean to us, for helping us through tough times.” Sweetie Belle chirped, lifting herself up with her own magic to join the pegasus. She had really taken to levitating magic, Twilight remembered teaching her. She found it fun to fly into the air on a whim.

“Where should we have it though?” Applebloom asked, though as soon as she did, her expression changed from thoughtful to knowing. The others were smiling at her and all three cried out in unison, “Sugarcube Corner!” dissolving into fits of giggles afterward.

“Great idea, girls. You might even be able to tell everypony at the party this afternoon.”

Applebloom blinked. “What party?”

“Pinkie’s having a party without us?” Sweetie Belle frowned sadly, probably thinking that she had been kept out of the loop on such an important part of Ponyville’s events.

Scootaloo looked abashed once more, scratching the back of her neck nervously. “Oh, oops.” She laughed softly. “Sorry, I meant to tell you about all that. I ran into Spike at the marketplace and he told me about his ‘Welcome back to Ponyville’ party at four o’ clock. It kinda slipped my mind when I bumped into Twilight.”

“Oh, Spike was at the market?” Twilight asked, interested in what reason he could have for going there.

“Yeah, he was with Pinkie Pie. She probably thought it was the easiest way to tell everypony about the party. I thought it was a pretty good idea, Spike was completely surrounded by excited ponies when I saw him.”

Applebloom huffed indignantly. “How come we weren’t invited?”

“You weren’t there.” Scootaloo shot back.

“Can we still go even though she didn’t invite us?” Sweetie Belle asked, glancing over at the alicorn. Her green eyes glimmered with hope as she looked up at Twilight.

“Of course,” Twilight said with an easy smile. “You know she would want everypony to see him again. It’s difficult, even for her, to visit with _all_ of Ponyville with the news in such a short amount of time.”

Scootaloo nodded eagerly. “Spike told me to let you know actually, so technically you _were_ invited. By me!”

“Well, alrighty then,” Applebloom said. “When is it?”

“This afternoon.  It’s set around four o’ clock,” Twilight responded, shifting her gaze to the interior of the treehouse. She saw that there were no longer posters of Rainbow Dash or Applejack or Rarity everywhere. Instead, there were pictures of all the times the three friends had come out of a predicament smiling and happy, or of the joy they had being with their siblings. It warmed Twilight’s heart as she turned back to face them. “It’ll start just before the rain starts falling, so make sure you make your way over there a little early.”

“I can’t wait to see Spike again!” Sweetie Belle shouted happily. “Does he look any different from the last time we saw him?”

Twilight grinned slightly. “Well, he still looks like him, but he’s much taller. He’s still the same old Spike though.”

“And he’s got wings!” Scootaloo jumped up beside the alicorn, flapping her wings excitedly. “I’ve gotta see them in action some time.”

“Wow!” cried the other two at the same moment. Twilight smiled at the excited expressions on each of their faces and started on her way out of the clubhouse. “Thanks again, Twilight, for coming to this meeting.” Applebloom said from behind her.

“Don’t worry about it. It was my pleasure.” The lavender mare responded, glancing over her shoulder at the young ponies. “Keep up the good work, and I’ll see you at the party.”

“Bye Twilight!”

Once outside the clubhouse, the studious mare spread her wings and took off to see if Mayor Mare still required help.


	8. Chapter 8

Spike

“It’s _party time!_ ” Pinkie shouted from the center of the room. Everypony was gathering at the sweet’s shop, eagerly awaiting the coming party. Spike sat on the left side of the room, watching as ponies trotted in happily, bringing umbrellas with them in case they were caught outside in the rain unexpectedly. Ponies walked up to him now and again to welcome him back to Ponyville, which he thanked them for gratefully.

Other than Pinkie, his best friends had yet to make an appearance. Spike waited patiently of course, knowing that if they were late, it was not on purpose. The Cutie-Mark Crusaders showed up and asked all sorts of questions about his time in Canterlot, about how his wings developed and what quests Princess Celestia had sent him on. They showed him their cutie-marks and explained how the new crusader training was going well, to which Spike said that he was truly impressed.

He waved at Bon-Bon as she trotted over to the treats table, and chatted casually with Cheerilee about his time in Canterlot, when Rarity and Twilight walked in. Spike saw Pinkie whip over to them, from a table of celebrating ponies, to greet them warmly. In the light of Luna’s moon, the white unicorn looked radiant, even more so than she usually did. The purple dragon hadn’t seen her in years, but he would never forget how beautiful Rarity looked, or how talented she was.

“Hi Spike, how’s the party going so far?” Twilight asked as she and Rarity neared. Truth be told, Spike never really inspected the interior of the store. At least not since Pinkie began decorating. It had started to look great. The Pinkie Pie standard for celebrations held true, but something he remembered from long ago had begun to bother him again. ‘ _It is too precious to me to give to a greedy old beast like you!’_ He had heard it first while he was catching up with Pinkie; those painful words had dissipated after a while of staring into space as the party pony worked, but seeing Rarity in her usual splendour drew the words to the surface once again.

Spike flinched slightly as he recalled how he acted, but neither Twilight nor Rarity seemed to notice, something he was grateful for. “It’s great so far. Four years away hasn’t taken anything off of a good Pinkie party; in fact, with all of the fancy Canterlot parties I’ve had to go to, it has probably made this type even more enjoyable.”

The two mares giggled at his response. “I know how you feel,” Rarity said, taking a seat at the table near Spike. “Even though I knew about such parties and went to several when in Canterlot, they did seem to drag along at the end. I enjoy the elegance and sophistication of a high class soiree, but sometimes it is good to unwind with a party such as this.”

“I knew it!” Pinkie screamed, seeming to materialise from under the table. Spike was sure she saw her on the other side of the room just a few moments ago, but the foreign ambasssador knew better than to argue that impossibility with Pinkie Pie. “You _do_ like my parties!”

Spike smiled at the look of shock on Rarity’s face, but she quickly recovered. She chuckled nervously, a light blush gracing the seamstress’ cheeks. “Why, of course, darling. What would make you believe I did not like your parties?” questioned the fashionista, raising a hoof curiously.

Pinkie shrugged. “Mmm, I dunno, just a hunch.” Spike watched her hop away, off to meet new guests or take somepony’s order, Spike assumed. He turned back to the two at the table.

“What was that about?” Spike asked, the remnants of his grin still present. Rarity shifted uncomfortably, but the purple dragon saw her regain her composure. She didn’t seem too worried about his question, just startled at first by Pinkie’s appearance.

“Well, since you left Ponyville, Pinkie and I have been spending more time together. We have little get-togethers where either I teach her to sew or she teaches me to…um…” She paused to place a hoof to her cheek in thought. Rarity smiled and brought her hoof out to the side after a few seconds. “unwind, for lack of a better word. Simply put, she shows me how to have fun in her way: throwing parties, hanging streamers, baking at times too.”

“So you do what each other enjoys so you can know one another better?”

“Why yes, exactly right.” She grinned at him and crossed her front legs on the table. “We found out from of spending a day together that we really didn’t know much about the other. We never truly spent time with each other outside of our circle of friends, and I suppose we thought that should change.” The fashionista paused to chuckle and placed a hoof over her mouth. “The first thing she did actually was force me to read a comic book. After about an hour or so of denying her, I conceded…and truth be told, I rather enjoyed it. Though Maneiac is not my type of pony, the Power Ponies have yet to allow her to give everypony in Maretropolis obscene hairdos.”

“You really read a comic book?” asked Spike, incredulous over this new information. _Rarity reading a comic book?_ the purple dragon thought. _That’s awesome!_

Rarity chuckled again in that beautifully innocent way she did. “Oh yes. Quite a few, if I am to be honest. I remember you rather like them too, being the one to show them to her. Anyway, we’ve picked up on many of our mannerisms and tells over the years; I suppose she thought I liked her parties secretly, because I never told her straight out.” She turned to see Pinkie spinning around the room, carrying plates full of sweets to the customers. “She may not still fully understand how I enjoy parties though. We will always be rather different in that regard, but there’s nothing truly wrong with that.”

Spike was in a sort of trance from hearing that Rarity, the most elegant pony he knew, had read not just one, but several comic books he had given to Pinkie. He managed to focus his attention back to the two mares before he made a fool of himself, snapping out of his daze.

“So, Spike, I trust you had a good time with Pinkie Pie today?” Twilight asked.

“Oh yeah, we had tons of fun,” Spike said enthusiastically. It had been a long day, the party pony actually having all sorts of ideas on what they could do, despite saying that she hadn’t planned anything out. After they had finished playing with the twins, the filly and colt being put down for a nap, Pinkie suggested that they should pull some pranks.

Spike had been most pleased that his hope had been met, seeing what fun she had had with Rainbow Dash years ago and wanting to join in. Together, the two of them pulled fun-filled pranks all over Ponyville. Buckets were placed over slightly opened windows, itching powder in clothing. Spike and Pinkie pretended to be statues until unknowing ponies came by. The two had painted each other silver to further blend in with the other sculptures, and when somepony ventured too close, the two made faces or jumped out at the pony. The stallion or mare was startled at first, but when he or she picked up on the prank, they laughed along with the two friends.

The emerald-eyed dignitary was still surprised at how easily the paint washed off in the shower, but Pinkie Pie had reassured him ahead of time that the paint was water-soluble. The two ponies at the table nodded for him to continue. “After we told everypony about the party at the marketplace, we went to see the Cake’s twins.”

“Oh, yes, they sure have grown since you last saw them, haven’t they? How are the little darlings?”

Spike remembered the last time he had seen them four years ago, and nodded his head cheerfully. “Yeah, they have changed since then. They look really happy though, really energetic too. I still can’t believe they recognise me.” The unicorn and alicorn smiled at him. “I mean, look at me. I’m so different. I’d just like to say thank you Twilight, _and Rarity_ if you had a part in that. Pinkie Pie told me about your idea to help the twins to remember me.”

“Well, we didn’t think it would be fair if they knew all of us, but not you Spike,” said Twilight. “I’m glad it worked out well.”

“Rainbow Dash is here, yay!” Spike flinched at the loud shout from Pinkie. She sped off from behind the counter to the door, where the pegasus now stood. She waited at the entrance for the inevitable hug from the pink pony; it seemed to Spike that four years longer had only added to the wonderful friendship between the two ponies. He grinned as the mares embraced and saw Applejack coming up behind them.

“Howdy everypony! Ah hope ah’m not too late,” the orange pony said as Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash broke apart to let her in.

A rumbling sound echoed throughout the store as Rainbow made her way over to sit with the group. “Nope! In fact, I think you’re just in time.” Twilight smiled happily. Spike was grateful that they made it in time. He wouldn’t want ponies out in the cold and wet storm on his account. “Have a seat Rainbow, Applejack.”

“Hey guys, what’s up?” the cyan pony asked coolly, taking a seat between Rarity and Twilight.

“We were just discussing Pumpkin and Pound Cake,” Rarity replied, shuffling slightly closer to Spike to allow more space for Rainbow. “It seems our plan worked.”

“Oh great, so the little guys remember you?” Rainbow Dash asked, nodding to the eight foot-long dragon. She chuckled. “Awesome. Hey, where’s Fluttershy?” Rainbow glanced round the room looking for the timid pegasus. The others followed her example, Spike hearing Rarity gasp in surprise.

“The storm is about to start and she’s still not here,” the white unicorn said, with concern in her eyes. “Oh, the poor dear. She could yet be out there, we have to do something.” Rarity stood up on her hooves, making for the door to peer outside.

“Hang on everypony, I’ll scan the area for any pony-sized heat sources out in the rain,” Twilight explained, asking that everypony remain calm. She had teleported to the front of the shop to be heard by everypony better. Her horn lit up with a purple glow, as she closed her eyes in concentration. Spike watched her work, walking over to sit in front of her calmly.

The others had gathered round her as well, but the purple dragon wasn’t worried. He knew she would locate her before it was too late; she had never given him reason to suspect otherwise. Just then, there came the pitter patter of rain on the roof of the sweet’s shop. “Oh my, hurry Twilight. She could freeze out there in this kind of weather.” Rarity called, turning away from the window to stand beside Spike.

The alicorn’s expression became strained, but her eyes remained closed. “Almost…aha! She’s a few feet out from the front, north. Let’s go!”

Spike bolted before the others could follow. He ran out the door and headed north, spotting the yellow pegasus just where Twilight had said. She was huddled under a balcony, but didn’t seem too soaked to him. _Good,_ he thought. _at least she made it to safety in time._ “Fluttershy!” he shouted as he neared the frightened pony.

She glanced up and her eyes widened. “Spike! What are you doing out in this?”

“I’m here to bring you to Sugarcube Corner. Come on under my wing. You’ll be alright.” He extended his wing and allowed the pegasus to walk abreast with him.

“But what about you, aren’t you cold?” Fluttershy asked as they made their way to the other ponies. The rain continued to fall, coming down faster and faster as they walked, but Spike hardly took any notice. The dragon shook his head in response to her question.

“Nah. My chest is a natural furnace. There isn’t anything in Equestria that can chill my bones.”

The rest of the journey proceeded in silence, the little pony remained warm and cozy beneath Spike’s leathery wing. When the two of them returned to the building, Fluttershy stepping within first, the ponies praised Spike for his heroics.

Pinkie already had hot chocolate prepared for their return, which they both welcomed openly. With everypony finally present and accounted for, the pink pony declared Spike’s ‘Welcome back to Ponyville’ party officially begun.

“Wow, you were going super-fast,” Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle. “Not as fast as me of course, but still whoa. It’ll be a fun race tomorrow, if you keep that up.”

Spike laughed softly, rubbing his clawed hand across the scales of his neck. “Ah, it was nothing. I didn’t want anypony to be caught out in that rain because of me.”

“Well that was very noble of you, Spike.” Rarity placed a hoof on his arm and smiled at him. “I’m very proud of you.”

Spike was at a loss for words. His eyes locked with the unicorn’s as he thought about how good it felt to have her attention. “Alright everypony, we’ve gotta get back on track here. We have a lot of party to have after all.” Pinkie took a party popper out of nowhere and faced it toward the ceiling. Spike watched as she pulled the party device and saw the confetti and streamers burst forth; colours ranging from yellow to red and green to purple cascading down on the guests.

The group of ponies giggled and laughed as the paper fell all around them, “Pinkie’s right.” Rainbow declared, flapping her wings and taking to the air. “Time’s a wasting.”

“Well what are we waitin’ for?” Applejack asked, turning this way and that to see the collectively excited faces on the ponies. She brought a fore leg over her little sister as she looked to Pinkie. “Whaddya have in mind fer us first, Pinkie Pie?”

“Come on! I have tons of games we can play.” Pinkie spun around and began to bound up the steps, the others following quickly after.

While the others ran off to select their games, Spike remained behind. His smile was still present from looking into Rarity’s flawless sapphire-coloured eyes, but he didn’t feel happy anymore. It didn’t even register that he was smiling, being consumed in another, darker thought.

“Spike?” Rarity said, standing in front of the seated dragon. Spike’s ears pricked up at hearing her voice, but he didn’t turn his head from the varnished wood floor. “Are you alright?”

_‘A beast like you!’_ Once again those words came unbidden to his mind and he again flinched. It felt like he was back in that moment, hearing it all too clearly through the giant dragon’s ears; he wished he were deaf. “No I’m fine, Rarity.” He tried to answer with a level tone, but his voice broke into a much higher pitch as he spoke. Spike stood up abruptly, trying to avoid the unicorn’s worried gaze, but she moved to intercept him.

“Spike, you’re a terrible liar. If something is wrong…I’m here to help.” She tried to place a hoof on his claw, but Spike stepped back on reflex. He immediately regretted that frightened impulse. The look of hurt and confusion written on Rarity’s face broke his heart.

“Really, I’m okay,” he stated again. “Come on, if we don’t meet up with Pinkie soon she’ll come looking for us.”

He began to walk, sidestepping passed the white pony. She made no effort to block him this time, but now he felt awful for dodging her; the mare of his dreams. How could he not tell her about this? _Because she’s part of it._ Spike was ascending the staircase to the upper floor of the sweet’s store when he heard Rarity say, “Of course, how silly of me. Right behind you, Spike.”

Her voice lacked any grace and happiness he usually heard from her; it was shaky and forced. It made Spike want to spin around and confess to what was bothering him right now, but he didn’t. Instead, he kept moving up to the upper level, hearing Rarity trailing behind him. When the two finally entered the designated games room, Pinkie bounded over to them and gave them both a party hat and party favour.

In that moment, Spike realised that he had climbed the steps without them breaking. Also, to his relief, he noticed that Pinkie had chosen the open area to have the party, an area that had wide doorways that would fit him. He had forgotten about this place.

“Where were you two?” the pink pony asked. “It was nearly two whole minutes since I saw you last.”

Rarity chuckled good-naturedly, standing next to the dragon. “My apologies, Pinkie Pie. It was nothing.” The lie seemed to come from her mouth so easily, and Spike would have believed it, if he had not been the cause of the lie.

“Okie dokey lokie! Well, we still have plenty of space for pin-the-tail-on-the-pony and all sorts of card games and board games. Come on!” Without waiting for a reply, Pinkie trotted off in the direction of the card tables.

Spike and Rarity looked to one another, and shared a laugh at the pony’s excitable nature. The two followed after her and soon were busying themselves with playing go-fish, crazy eights and snap. The purple dragon was surprised at how well the unicorn played these games; she had a very strategic mind, it seemed. She didn’t always win, but Rarity sure had a talent for blocking ponies from winning at sevens.

Throughout the afternoon, and as the rain continued to fall, Spike and Rarity switched between games and activities or just plain relaxed in a chair or on a cushion. Ponies were having a great time and often came up to speak with Spike about his many journeys. He was happy to share a tale or two and others would gather round to hear. Rarity was never far away at those times.

The Cutie-Mark Crusaders had asked Spike over to one side of the room with Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack and Rainbow Dash to say how much they appreciated all of the lessons they were taught by them. Rarity was the first to give her little sister a hug, and soon after Applejack gave Applebloom a noogie. The pink mare was bouncing up and down around the group happily, while Fluttershy and Twilight smiled warmly. The rainbow-maned pegasus wrapped a fore leg over Scootaloo’s back and posed heroically, eliciting laughter from everypony. Spike merely sat and watched the display, amazed and glad that the three younger ponies had matured so much over four years.

It turned out to be a great party, but after a while, ponies began to notice the sun setting and decided to call it a day. As they left, they said how good it was to have him back, if only for a little while. Still ponies remained, some deciding to spend more time unwinding. Spike had since stopped playing games, simply sitting and watching the fun being had. Most of his friends had moved back downstairs to enjoy some hot chocolate, so for the most part, it was quiet.

Fluttershy periodically came to check up on him, but he always told her that he was fine. His voice was steady, to which he was thankful for, so she could only nod and smile. _A monster,_ Spike heard in his left ear, gazing absentmindedly at the pin-the-tail-on-the-pony board on the wall. By then all of the ponies were downstairs or nestled in their own homes, the rain had since ceased and the moon was quickly rising over the clouds.

“Spike?” His ears perked up, his composure faltering slightly; even so, Spike had nowhere to go, so he turned his head to acknowledge the violet-maned unicorn. “Are you alright up here? Why don’t you come downstairs?”

The eight foot-long dragon didn’t have a reply for that. His mouth felt dry. Rarity walked closer to Spike and took a seat a few feet in front of him, not seeming to dare venture nearer. The careful expression that she held only made him regret the impulse from earlier more. He didn’t enjoy that reaction, but he supposed that Rarity was worried that he would do the same thing he had downstairs. _Idiot,_ he thought.

“Spike, I don’t know what you’re going through, but bottling it up isn’t helping it any.” She reached out a hoof to comfort him, but stopped halfway. Spike swallowed hard and made up the distance, placing his head under her extended hoof. Rarity looked taken aback by the gesture, but she quickly recovered. “Please talk to me.”

Seeing the expression of concern on her face, Spike knew that she was right. _I’m only hurting her by not talking about this._ He nodded at her wordlessly.

Rarity waited patiently for the dragon to work up the courage to speak. He sighed and stared into her eyes for support. They shimmered in the light of the moon which shone through the windows. Even in this tense situation, he still managed to lose himself in those dreamy sapphire circles of hers. _A beautiful colour for a beautiful mare_. “I’ve been having problems dealing with what I’ve become. It’s been difficult in Canterlot; most ponies only see a ferocious looking dragon and nothing else. It’s…much the same for griffins and zebras and…buffalo.”

Spike grimaced. He recalled the fearful look that even Little Strongheart had in her eyes the last time he had gone to buffalo lands. She was quite larger than she had been four years ago; almost the size of Chief Thunderhooves, but the dragon could tell that they had all been uncomfortable with his presence in their camp during his duties as ambassador. _What happened to respecting dragons?_ he thought, before locking gazes with Rarity. “The looks on their frightened faces were just an awful reminder to me. I remember back to the day when I turned into a rampaging dragon. The look you gave me- I mean…that monster. I remember what you said before I was me again.”

The seamstress appeared to tense up, hearing this, but she only moved closer to him. “What…did I say?” She was worried. She must have been afraid of how much he had heard when he wasn’t in control. Spike didn’t want to continue any longer, he wanted to fly away now, find somewhere to hide and never be seen again, but he knew that that was impossible. He had to tell her. He had broken her heart once.

Spike sighed once more, breaking eye contact with Rarity. “I…I keep hearing the words whenever you’re around. I can’t help it. I know if you had known it was me at the time, you never would have said those things, any of it, but you were right. I am a beast.”

“Spike, that’s not true!” Rarity shouted in an instant. She hugged him, standing up from her seated position to console him. “You are a wonderful creature; one of the most generous and giving friends I know.” Spike rested his head on her shoulder gently. He didn’t reply, too scared that he might choke on his words should he try. He couldn’t see her face as she held him, so he couldn’t tell if she was crying or not, or if she was holding in some different emotion. Spike just wished she wasn’t suffering on his account, because of what he couldn’t forget. “I still have that fire-ruby you gave me.”

“Y-you do?” he managed to squeak out of surprise and disbelief. He felt her nod into their tender hug.

“I could never part with such a heartfelt gift, Spike. In fact I…I have…a bit of a confession to make as well,” she whispered, pulling away from the hug and returning to her seat. “Spike, I…I’m sorry. For everything.”

“Rarity? What’s wrong?” The strain on her facial features was almost too much for Spike to bear. If she was holding something of equal guilt and sorrow on her shoulders, that just meant another mistake he had made by leaving her. And all he could do was wait with a furrowed brow and a tense jaw for her to continue.

She took a deep breath, glancing off somewhere beyond him, anywhere but meeting Spike’s eyes. “I told Twilight why I had left so abruptly yesterday. And…” She finally turned to stare at him. “why you left…four years ago.”

Spike’s jaw slackened. He looked away. “Oh.”

“I’m so sorry, Spike. I couldn’t keep hiding what happened. For four years I kept quiet over this. I heard about it all of the time; ponies wondering why you left, making guesses as to what happened, when I knew it was _I_ who had caused you to leave.” She placed a hoof on her chest and winced.

“It’s okay, Rarity.” _Can’t I do anything right?_ “It’s not your fault.” He wanted to hit himself for all that she said; all that he had done to her. His throat was dry and the air around the room was stifling and uncomfortable. Spike heard the occasional laugh from downstairs, but other than that he was alone with the wonderful unicorn that he had come to respect over the years, and all he had done in that time was alienate her from him.

Rarity shook her head like she had not heard him. “I regretted that decision right after I heard what you were doing. If I had said yes, then…”

Spike gulped, hearing only those words and truly wishing that she hadn’t said them. He didn’t want her to be sad for him, for anypony at all. He needed her to be happy. The purple dragon forced a smile onto his face. “I’m glad you didn’t though.” Rarity stared at him with her eyebrows raised in concern, as he continued. “It wouldn’t have been real if you said you liked me back, and I wouldn’t want to put you through that. I’m sorry that I left though; either way I still hurt you.” Spike closed his eyes to stem the tears.

“Spike,” Rarity whispered with a shaky breath, as she placed a hoof over his claw tenderly. “We’re both suffering from this, aren’t we?” The ambassador stared at her hoof in silence, wishing that it hadn’t come to this.

“Yeah.”

“Well, I for one do not wish for this party to go to waste, nor for this time together to be missed. Would you care to dance, my dear?” Spike looked into her eyes as Rarity stood up, offering the hoof that had been on his claw for the proposed dance.

Spike’s face flushed, but he didn’t lower his gaze from the gorgeous pony in front of him. He smiled and said, “Yes, I would. My lady?” Rarity gave him a bright smile as well, bowing low and giving the dragon her hoof. Before they began to dance, a sudden impulse overtook him. “May I?” he asked, holding out his other claw.

Rarity gave him an odd look, but nodded uncertainly and placed her other hoof in his empty extended claw. He brought her hooves up and rested one on each of his shoulders as he sat up. The fashionista was staring wide eyed at him now, making him nervous about his idea. “Is this okay? Y-you can just lean on me, if you think you’ll fall.” He watched her for a moment, as they stood on their hind legs, though he was too embarrassed to make eye contact. _Perhaps that was too forward of me. Would she see that and say no?_ Spike wouldn’t blame her if she did.

“It’s fine, dear,” the white unicorn replied, finding his emerald-green eyes and catching them in her own sapphire-blue ones. He found himself grinning back, feeling his spirits lift under her gaze. His face reddened and he felt butterflies in his stomach, but he felt much better already. Spike looked down quickly, realising that he hadn’t thought about where to put his claws. “Is something the matter, Spike?”

She sounded worried, and when Spike focused back on her, Rarity’s expression confirmed that thought. Her head was off to the side a little with her luxurious mane swaying back and forth from the sudden shift in angle. “No, I uh…just don’t know- I mean, m-may I put my claws on your back?”

Rarity appeared startled for a moment, her blue eyes widening in what he assumed was panic. Panic over what, he didn’t want to think about. Spike’s heart sank into his stomach as the silence continued; now he’d done it. _Maybe that’s a little too far. M-maybe, I shouldn’t be doing this; she still doesn’t like me._

Another second, and Rarity was back to smiling at him with just a hint of unease in her eyes. “Not to worry, Spike,” she said. “There’s no need to ask.”

The purple dragon swallowed hard. “Are you sure?” A quick, practiced nod was her answer. He carefully placed the palms of his clawed hands on her back, making sure that his claws didn’t scratch her. Spike directed them to the center of the room. Having nopony else around to worry about, he allowed his tail more freedom to move as it flicked back and forth.

The two danced around the room slowly, picking up a sort of rhythm to a song playing in his head; Rarity leaned against Spike gently as he led her in the embrace. The purple dragon’s blush threatened to cover his entire face, heart thrumming in his chest. After four years away he was finally back with the mare he loved, and she still seemed to have some interest in him. Spike took solace in knowing that she at least didn’t hate him for leaving. Their dance continued unabated, until they heard some shuffling of hooves near the stairs.

Spike glanced over at the staircase and found his friends cheering them on, none so enthusiastic as Pinkie Pie. The two creatures locked in the dance glanced at one another and blushed. Spike came to a halt and helped to lower Rarity’s front legs back to the floor safely. The white unicorn thanked him for the dance and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. Once the cheering had died down, everypony made their way downstairs, the dragon only being stunned from the unexpected kiss for a few seconds. The seven friends spent the remainder of the night quietly talking, catching up with one another on little topics that had occurred recently. Eventually the party came to an end and everypony except Pinkie Pie left the sweet’s shop.

As the dragon walked home with Twilight, the studious alicorn spoke of the major feats of Starswirl the Bearded. She told him she had been wrapped up in explaining the unicorn’s exploits throughout history to a few interested ponies at the party, and now her attention fell solely on telling him about it.

He listened with one ear and smiled occasionally when a comment warranted involvement on his part. Spike was still upset about his unwelcome memories of when he foalnapped Rarity, though speaking to her about it had helped. _And that kiss…_

“Spike?”

Spike’s face reddened from the possibility of being caught thinking about Rarity’s kiss. He turned his head and tried to cover for himself, resurfacing from his thoughts. “Hmm?”

“I asked if you were having a good time so far and if you were excited for tomorrow.”

“Oh, of course.” Spike shuffled his wings about awkwardly, trying to think of a way out of this without needing to explain to Twilight as well. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to catch on about what he had been thinking about. “Sorry, I guess I dozed off there for a second.”

The alicorn placed a hoof on his shoulder, turning him slightly toward her. He closed his eyes and sighed, pausing just before the Ponyville bridge. “Are you alright, Spike? You were acting oddly at the party.”

“I’m alright,” he responded upon looking across at Twilight. “I spoke to Rarity about it and I feel much better.” Spike climbed the cobblestone bridge. She gave him a worried look as their walk resumed, so he continued. “I was remembering certain things that Rarity said to me when I lost control on my birthday four years ago. I heard her call me a beast.”

The alicorn’s eyes flashed with worry as her pace quickened. “Oh Spike, she didn’t mean to. She didn’t know it was you.”

“I know.” His teeth clenched tightly as he heard it again. “I still thought she was right, for a time. It was hard not to with so many ponies in Canterlot seeing an eight foot-long dragon wandering through the city streets, or up above if I flew overhead. I know now that she doesn’t blame me for what I did. She never did, so…I’ll be fine.” Spike saw her looking at him briefly, before returning her gaze to the gravel path.

“So…are you excited for tomorrow? You have a big fun filled day ahead of you.” Her attempt to change the subject was blatant and obvious, but Spike was thankful that she didn’t press the uncomfortable matter. He managed a weak smile.

“Yeah. I’m a bit nervous about what Applejack and Rainbow Dash have in mind, but I’m sure it’ll be alright. Then I can relax with Fluttershy.” Spike chuckled.

He heard Twilight laugh beside him as well. “True. They can become a bit carried away with the competitions. Fluttershy will be a great relief after.”

The two shared a laugh as they neared the treehouse. Twilight magicked the door open, and stepped in, followed by Spike. They ate dinner in relative silence; all that they wanted to say having been said already.

After, Twilight stayed on the first level to talk with Spike about all the weird things that had happened during his ‘Welcome back’ party. When it was time for bed, the alicorn brought out some blankets and pillows and slept on the floor with him. Spike had told her he was fine on his own, but Twilight insisted. Spike had learned years ago not to argue with her if she was firmly set on something. They smiled at one another one last time before the eight foot-long dragon rested his head on his crossed arms and drifted off to sleep.

 


	9. Chapter 9

Rarity

Rarity moaned with pleasure as she stretched beneath the covers of her queen-sized bed. She had had a lovely time at the party last night and a most relaxing slumber when she returned to her home. She hadn’t even had the ‘Spike’ dream again. She covered her mouth with a dainty hoof to stifle a yawn, and sat up in her bed. The unicorn was ready to have a delightful day.

“Oh, what a splendid morning it is,” Rarity said as she stepped out from her covers and tidied up her bed. Next she magicked her bedroom curtains open, to take in the day’s rays of sunshine. She made sure not to stand too close to the window though, in case her mane was disheveled. Elated at the way the light gleamed off of the tops of the trees, Rarity trotted over to her antique mirror. The seamstress hummed a little tune as she brushed her hair out, making sure that all of her curls were in the correct positions. “Ah, perfection,” she announced to her reflection. “Now, what to do with myself today?”

Her train of thought led her down to her kitchen, where she prepared a light breakfast. After the meal Sweetie Belle made yesterday, Rarity didn’t want to eat any more than she needed to for a few days. _Not to say that the meal was unpleasant,_ she thought to herself. _but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing._

With that in mind she had a small quinoa salad, with lettuce, spinach and tomatoes. “Now let’s see, I’m finished with all of the clothing orders for this week; however, I am running low on jewels. One cannot assume that no surprise visits from customers will occur, and if I have nothing to work with nopony will have their dresses. I suppose that will be my day then.” She was cleaning her plate when another thought occurred to her. “Oh, I wonder if Spike would like to accompany-” Rarity blinked in revelation. She shook her head, chiding herself for the unwarranted suggestion. “Nonsense, Rarity, really. Spike is spending time with our friends today. It isn’t right for you to ask Spike to break from a plan to help me. I’ll just have to go alone, like I have these past four years.”

Rarity prepared her gem collecting bags, a spare one in case she had a good day, her shovel and a few snacks. It was a bright, sunny day out, so she levitated a sunhat onto her head as well. There was a slight breeze, a calming one which Rarity rather enjoyed, standing at the door to her home. The leaves rustled in the trees and shrubs and bushes, creating a tune that only a trained ear like Rarity’s could pick up on. It sounded to her like Fluttershy was having a rehearsal with her birds for an upcoming pageant of some sort, always adoring how the pegasus managed to harmonise the creatures into one truly lovely voice.

From her vantage point, Rarity observed that ponies were out and about, preparing for their daily activities or going off to their respective jobs. Rarity greeted them as they passed her by. Some were still talking of the party last night, which she found herself chuckling at. _It was quite the soiree. And he is quite the dancer now._ She had set out on her way to her dig site and almost didn’t notice Spike walking toward her, being so wrapped up in what gems she hoped to find today. “Oh, hello Spike.” She flashed him a quick but sincere smile while she came to a halt.

He appeared to be elsewhere as well, for her voice seemed to startle him. He smiled an adorably bashful smile as they met. “Hi Rarity. I didn’t think I’d see you today. Not that that’s a bad thing that I did see you, I was just…thinking about what Applejack and Rainbow Dash wanted to do.”

Rarity grinned back pleasantly and waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh think nothing of it, dear. I think if I had been more focused on my own thoughts we would have passed each other by unknowingly. As for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself.”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “So, what are you up to?” Spike said while gesturing to her saddlebags with curiosity.

“Oh!” she replied, not taking her eyes off the purple dragon before her. Rarity could guess to what he was referring to regardless. “I’m going on a bit of a gem hunt. I was running out of jewels for my designs and it’s always good to have extra if something should come up.”

“Oh, do you need some-?”

“Spike, you are a dear to offer,” she thought he would ask that. _Such a dear to me, as always._ “but I’m alright. You have plans after all and I’ve managed just fine without your help these last few years.” The look Spike gave her in response stung her a little. She didn’t mean to sound so harsh, but it had to be said. “I cannot expect you to drop everything on my account. Not when you have plans already. It would be inappropriate.”

Spike’s wings ruffled at his sides. He scratched at his cheek and blushed slightly. “You’re right. I guess I was just carried away with how we once hung out. Back when we did this all the time.”

The fashionista smiled sweetly at the dragon. “Indeed. We still can make plans for that, make no mistake. I enjoy your company greatly.” _He’s matured quite a bit. He talks to me more like a friend now, though he still has that same adoring look in his eyes at times._

“Maybe we can do that some time then.”

“Of course.”

“Well, I suppose I should be going.” He took a few steps behind her and glanced over his shoulder. “They’re probably wondering where I am.”

“Very well,” said Rarity. “I am looking forward to tomorrow. I’m sure you have much planned out for us.”

Spike chuckled nervously and rubbed one of his arms nervously. “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it too. Bye, Rarity.” Before Rarity could question him on his sudden strange behaviour, Spike turned his head and made his way to meet Applejack and Rainbow Dash at Sweet Apple Acres.

Rarity watched him leave with a puzzled expression covering her face. _He does have something planned for our day together, doesn’t he?_ She continued on her own way as her thoughts went on, trying to prevent her growing nerves from overtaking her. _Of course he does. But then what was his reason for being so nervous?_ Her heart skipped a beat as a thought occurred to her. She swallowed. _Nonsense, dear. There is no reason to worry. You said you would go, so you will._ She glanced back at the houses. Rarity was on the border of the town, leading up to her usual digging location.

“Even if I think I might know what it is upsetting him?”

Birds flew by on the gentle summer breeze, their sweet songs pervading the area of rock and soil that the seamstress was currently excavating. The sun shone its light down upon Rarity as she unearthed another stunning jewel for her designs: a sapphire with facets that gleaned splendidly in the warmth.

“Simply marvelous,” Rarity said as it hung in her magic. She spun the flawless gem around for a moment before she placed it into her saddlebags. Rarity admired her ever growing collection: two sapphires, an emerald of a perfect size and shape for one of her design projects, a rare lapis, three amethysts, two rubies of a luxurious sheen; the list went on. “Rarity, you’ve outdone yourself this time.” She stretched her back, beginning to feel the weight of all the trinkets she had found.

“Perhaps I should call it a day,” she reasoned. It would not do to push her luck after all, and she had had an experience with a lower back strain before. It had been her own fault for not taking notice. It was shortly after Spike left that it happened. Rarity wasn’t accustomed to carrying the bags herself and ended up paying for it. She had fallen to the floor from the shock of it, and when she attempted to stand, the muscle began to spasm.

Through her pain, Rarity had managed to teleport herself back to Ponyville.  She shrieked in agony as she landed on the ground, passing out shortly after the throbbing subsided. The unicorn awoke in the hospital hours later. Twilight Sparkle told her that the teleportation put a rather large strain on her, causing her to pass out from the exertion. Still, the fashionista doubted anypony would have found her if she had not taken that risk. Rarity did not want to be left helpless out there when she knew Diamond Dogs were about.

Upon awaking, the doctors warned her to be careful when moving or teleporting, just in case her back had not healed fully. Rarity had listened to both Twilight and the doctors and rapidly found no further discomfort from the ordeal. In the span of nine days, and with a few more muscle spasms every so often, she was back to making dresses with the gemstones she had discovered on the day of the incident.

Her smile faded as she came to a realisation. “Perhaps…it was best that Spike was not here to see me like that. It would have broken his little heart.” Rarity turned to head back to Ponyville and saw a hole in the dirt, large enough to have been dug by a Diamond Dog.

She had not seen much of them since her first experience, only catching glimpses of paws or their backs as they dug into the dirt. _Spike sure was brave that day, even if it was unnecessary. I can always count on him._ Her smile returned, but it was a sort of sad smile. _If…I was to fall for somepony, I would be glad to fall for somepony as gallant as him._ Last night’s dance flashed briefly in her mind. Rarity found herself blushing. _I think…that was the first time I have ever enjoyed a dance with somepony close to my age. I’m trying Spike, dancing and conversing and all, but…it is difficult to think of you in such a way after all the time that has passed between us._

“Almost there. Just a little further!” came a scratchy voice from the gap in the earth. Rarity recognised it fairly well, lifting an eyebrow in disbelief. The Diamond Dog leader, which she recalled was named Rover, climbed up to the surface. He wore a red gabardine vest and a collar around his neck studded with small, blue diamonds. His eyes were green and suspicious, while his fur was grey and tattered. He was glancing around, sniffing the air for something. Just as their last encounter, he stood on his hind legs. He met eyes with Rarity, and his mouth fell open. “Y-you! Pon- I…mean…Rarity.” As two more dogs emerged and took notice of the unicorn, they backed away awkwardly. Rover chuckled.

Rarity nodded slightly. “It has been a while, has it not?”

The three dogs nodded back. “Uh, yes. You look…uh…nice, yes.” The smaller dog, Spot replied. His fur was brown and his eyes darted back and forth. He was a head shorter than Rover, and he had an annoying way of fidgeting when he was nervous. Spot had a shorter tail than the others. It was almost covered by his grey vest, which hung down below his back. His collar was black with green gemstones placed inside.

“Thank you.” She arched an eyebrow, curiously. “What…brings you to the surface, if I may ask?”

“W-we heard some digging, and thought…uh, we could help whoever it was…with the digging,” Fido said. He was the tallest of the three, and most likely the strongest, though to Rarity that did not matter, they were all equally frightened to see her. His fur was a bluish-grey colour, and he wore a light grey vest. The dog had a few gems in his pockets and a collar around his neck as well. “We didn’t know it was you.”

“I see.” She looked to each of them in turn, seeing that none of them wanted to make eye contact. She smiled inwardly. _Still have them wrapped around my hoof._ “Well, if there is nothing else, I will be on my way. Help yourselves to what remains, though I’m sure you know what will happen if you should come after my gems, hm?”

“Oh, yes. We-we wouldn’t dream of…doing that. You are most generous to give us what is left.”

Rarity held her stern expression. _As long as you keep your distance, you can talk sweetly all you wish._ Without another word, Rarity spun around and made her way down the path back to town.

She heard the three dogs whispering, one saying, “I can’t believe we have to act nice to that…pony.” He spat out the last word angrily. “Shh, do you want her to scream at us again?” another spoke up in answer. The white mare stopped and faced them once again. They were all looking her way, but when she turned, all three froze, eyes widened. Rarity smiled smugly as she continued on her way.

Rarity sauntered along the streets of Ponyville, her saddlebags swaying at her sides full to bursting. She was thinking about what she had done with Fluttershy the day before. A little smile worked its way on to the seamstress’ face. _The little dear, always so accommodating._

It was only after Rarity had explained the reason for the unexpected visit that Fluttershy seemed to see the pain barely hidden on the unicorn’s face. Fluttershy had suggested tea after letting the elegant mare in and had nearly let the kettle drop when Rarity told her what was wrong. Rarity’s reflexes were sharp that day, thankfully, and she managed to catch the glass container in her magic before it hit the floor.

The timid pegasus moved to comfort her, but Rarity had stopped her with a hoof raised in mid-air. “I’m alright, darling, truly; though I do appreciate your concern for my sake.” And she did. It was more than she thought she deserved for how she treated Spike. If Rarity could tell anypony anything about her personal dilemmas, it would be Fluttershy.

“If there is ever anything I can do to help, Rarity…” she had intoned to the mare as they sat around her table. Their tea was cooling in front of them, the kettle sitting in the middle for refills. _Sweet and demure,_ Rarity thought as the conversation flashed across her mind.

“You’re helping me at this very moment. Why just listening, as you always do so well, is doing wonders for me.” The yellow pegasus nodded gently. A spark of hesitation had crossed Fluttershy’s face in that moment. Rarity inclined her head to show her concern for her friend’s trouble, though only able to guess at what it was. She hadn’t needed to know besides. Fluttershy looking apprehensive was enough for Rarity to worry.

“Rarity?” asked the shy pegasus after another moment’s silence.

“Yes, dear?” Rarity had noticed Fluttershy’s abrupt mood shift and reached across the small table to rest her hoof on top of the pegasi’s. As the unicorn wandered down the streets, a faint blush threatened to cover her cheeks; her thoughts continuing unabated by her unease with the developing topic in her head.

“Do you, I mean…think you might like Spike as more than a friend?” Rarity had swallowed hard and leaned back in her seat. Rarity remembered suddenly finding an interest in the intricate pattern of the white table cloth beneath her drink, as her head tilted down. Her hooves had brushed over the cloth around her tea cup for several moments, a pearl-coloured lace fabric with thin and tall floral designs along the outside.

The fashionista had not been able to meet Fluttershy’s gaze, only able to clear her throat before replying. “I…I’m afraid that I cannot answer that without any doubt, Fluttershy. He has changed so much…it’s all so sudden. I thought that when I told him to wait a few years I would be more prepared for when he asked me again. But I fear that I’m just as unresolved as before.”

That was the thought that stuck out with her most prominently; the image that kept returning to her as she carried her gem haul through the town. She was trying to picture herself with Spike, but she found it difficult to think of anything but the beast in her dreams. When her mind drifted back to her dance with Spike, Rarity slowed to a saunter. _When he asked about his claws, I was afraid that they would scratch at my back…but…I didn’t feel anything. Did he even place his claws on me?_

“Hi Rarity!”

Rarity jumped backward, eyes widening. “What!? Oh, Pinkie Pie.” She placed a front hoof over her chest to calm her nerves. “You startled me.”

“Aww.” Pinkie bounced in front of her blissfully, probably unaware of how the surprise had affected the poor fashionista’s thoughts. “I was hoping you’d know when I was coming by now. Sort of a Rarity-sense, if you will.”

Rarity found herself laughing at the pink pony’s rambling. “Pinkie, I’m afraid that no matter how much we get to know one another, I will never be accustomed to your sporadic and unpredictable appearances.” She coughed to try and regain some of her dignity; her legs carried her along once again.

“And…no Rarity-sense?” asked the party pony, sauntering about beside the frazzled mare.

Rarity shook her head in mild amusement. “Unfortunately not, my dear. I think you are the only pony that will ever have a sense like that.” Rarity didn’t always believe in Pinkie-sense, but sometimes the proof of its existence was difficult to just push aside. Like when she correctly guessed how many jelly beans were in a jar by how many times her left hind leg jittered multiplied by forty-two, or when an itch at the end of her nose predicted that somepony would be injured. The stallion hammering a nail into a wooden framework had suddenly found himself believing in her powers more, followed swiftly by Rarity.

One day Pinkie Pie had gone into a rather long explanation of how she differentiated a ‘regular’ nose itch from an ‘injury following’ itch or a ‘sad pony alert’ itch. The latter type of facial annoyance involved the entire nose being irritated. “Aww. Oh well, are those for our sewing project?” said Pinkie, pointing to her saddlebags while she resumed her bouncing, next to the unicorn.

Her question hung in the air as realisation struck Rarity. “Oh. Oh dear, I completely forgot!” Her pace lessened considerably as she turned to her friend. “Pinkie, I’m so sorry, it completely slipped my mind.”

“It’s okay, Rarity,” Pinkie Pie said without skipping a beat. “We can always do it some other time.” Rarity stepped closer, catching the pink pony’s attention as she continued to hop in place.

“You simply must let me make it up to you.”

“How?”

The seamstress touched a front hoof to her muzzle in contemplation, setting out the options in front of her mind. “I don’t have as much time as I would like, but perhaps we can still work on your dress a little bit.”

“Really?” Pinkie shouted, giddy and hopeful as always. “Great! Say, do you need some help with those saddlebags?”

Rarity laughed lightly at the party pony’s concern. “You are the second friend who has offered me that delightful proposition. And while I appreciate the offer, it simply will not do. I cannot have you all carrying my things. How would I do anything on my own when the time comes?”

“Aw come, Rarity. What are friends for?” Pinkie suddenly stood up straight and proper and said, in her best Canterlot accent, “I simply must insist.” It was difficult to argue with her like that, or to keep from laughing. All the seamstress could do was chuckle at Pinkie’s serious expression and levitate the bags over the pink mare’s back.

“Oh, very well. I’m afraid you have me at an impasse; thank you most sincerely, darling.” The two resumed their slow walk back to the boutique, Rarity holding in a relieved smile from no longer having to carry such a weight.

“It’s no trouble. You just tell that impas to buzz off and leave you alone. Besides, you looked like you were a bit overwhelmed. This is kinda heavy.” The party pony jostled the saddlebags around on her back for a moment, most likely trying to find a comfortable position for the weight to rest.

Rarity bit her lip. She thought it had something to do with that. _One little mistake is all it takes…_ “Pinkie, you mustn’t worry so much about me. It was my own fault back then, and I have since corrected that error.”

“I know, Rarity, but…”

“Pinkie, please.” Her words came out sharply, more terse than she wanted it to sound. Rarity took a calming breath before she continued. “I have enough ponies worrying over me. Please don’t add to the list.”

“Alright,” said Pinkie, nodding to the unicorn after a moment of silence. Rarity smiled at her friend and sauntered forward, giving Pinkie a loose hug.

“Thank you. Now, come along,” she called proudly, stepping back from their hug to keep on the path to her boutique. The pink pony quickly trotted up beside her to keep up the conversation. “As I recall, we were adding the finishing touches to the dress you designed.”

“Right. Do you think these could be used for it?” Pinkie asked, gesturing to the saddlebags as they walked.

Rarity laughed softly. _Just as I thought would happen._ After a few seconds, she nodded. “Yes, I believe they could.”

The sun was beginning to set behind the trees, but Rarity and Pinkie Pie were hard at work on the blue satin dress. “Now just stitch that part together and we are almost finished. Excellent.”

It was a simple design, nothing too fancy. The back of the dress fell a bit further to the ground, covering the hind legs to draw the eye, with a bit of flare at the front where a touch of orange was sewn to the chest. It had been Pinkie’s decision to make her outfit with this fabric, having a glossy surface that she rather enjoyed. She had said it reminded her of her pajamas. Rarity could only shake her head and let out a chuckle of amusement.

It shimmered delicately, draped over one of Rarity’s many mannequins as she wandered around it, inspecting each side to make sure they were even. For the jewelry and accessories, Pinkie was surprisingly picky. It was funny for Rarity to remember. She had decided on a pearl necklace and a blue feathered hat for a spot of elegance, but it had taken much sifting through the seamstress’ wardrobe to come to a conclusion.

It turned out to be worth it though, Rarity had found. She nodded emphatically at the ensemble before her. “It’s looking really good, Rarity. Do you think we can start adding the sequins?”

Rarity studied the dress once more and imagined how the sequins would fit most comfortably. She turned to see Pinkie smiling hopefully at her. “I suppose if you don’t mind staying a little longer. Just let me look at the back and see if anything needs to be hemmed.”

“Okie dokey lokie!” Pinkie shouted. As Rarity worked though, she quickly noticed a drop in the excitable pony’s usual volume. It worried her. “Hey, you know tomorrow is your day with Spike?”

Upon hearing that, Rarity tensed up and crouched lower behind the dress. At this point in time she was happy that she had moved to the opposite side of the dress from Pinkie. _Now calm down, dear,_ she thought to herself. _She’s probably just curious to know what we will be doing._ Rarity cleared her throat gently. “Yes, I recall,” she answered, though her voice was somewhat muffled by the fabric.

“What do you think you’ll be doing? Has he told you what he has planned?”

The fashionista sighed with relief, knowing that she had been correct. “No. He hasn’t spoken to me about it since the day it was scheduled. To be honest, Spike seemed a little bit nervous when I brought it up this morning. I’m sure he has everything under control though.” _At least…I hope he does._ She took this time to stress over the little imperfections in the dress; reminding herself that she would need to hem this line and that.

The pink mare became silent again, which Rarity hoped spelled out the end of that line of questioning. She finished inspecting the outfit and willed herself to step out from behind it. Rarity took a bowl of sequins in her magic and levitated it over to her. She enveloped the dress in her aura and placed it on her sewing table.

“Pinkie Pie, I must say you did a fine job here for your first real project. I am most impressed.”

“Thanks so much, Rarity,” Pinkie said, bouncing in place on her right side.” I really enjoyed making this with you.” The fashionista paused to smirk and look back at the party mare.

“Oh, now, you’re beginning to sound like Spike. Not that I mind compliments, heavens no, but…” She hesitated, her train of thought traveling to a dead stop. Pinkie turned her head to be in full view of the seamstress, taking another one of her rare serious expressions.

“You miss when he was little, don’t you? When things were simpler.” Rarity swallowed hard. She hung her head and placed the bowl of sequins down on the floor. “Did you like him back then?”

Rarity’s sapphire eyes widened as she heard Pinkie’s question, shouting, “No, of course not!” She flinched immediately, regretting where this conversation was leading. “Not in that way, I mean. He was _adorable_ yes, and he still is. But he was a _baby_ dragon.”

“Him being a baby dragon didn’t stop you from having him do things for you…” Rarity stared at the pink mare for a few heartbeats. She hadn’t expected this from Pinkie at all. It didn’t seem like she ever took any notice of the interaction between her and Spike. She was always bouncing off in some direction, searching for something fun to do, while the others trudged along.

However, spending time with her over the years might have given Pinkie some hints toward the situation. Had the fashionista spoken of Spike to anypony in a way that would warrant clarification? Did anypony else know about his affections toward her? He certainly did not hide it very well. “Do you want me to leave?” Pinkie’s question snapped Rarity out of her contemplating.

“No…no you’re correct.” Her reply was rushed, unpracticed. Rarity could hear her own voice break and she knew Pinkie could too. Her lower lip trembled and her ears drooped, as she sat down on her haunches miserably. “I have a lot to make up for, and much to think about.” _She’s right. Spike did offer to help me each time…but I should have been much nicer to him for it._ The pink pony trotted up and sat with her, leaning into Rarity’s side. “It is not easy to think about. Just four years ago he was half my height, immature; it was easy to ignore his advances, passing them off as little more than a simple crush. Now he’s taller than me, a full-fledged dragon with powerful wings and sharp teeth. It’s a lot to adapt to.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. He is a dragon and you’re a pony after all.”

“Yes…” She shut her eyes loosely. _I’m a very shallow, conceited mare, knowing that that is one of the reasons I am hesitant._ “Pinkie…I’m going to tell you something; something rather embarrassing. I need you to promise me not to tell anypony else about this.”

Pinkie tilted her head to the side. “Or any _dragon_?”

“Yes, that too.” A weak smile formed on Rarity’s lips. _Even in this awful situation, you still manage to draw a smile out from me._

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Rarity waited patiently for the mantra to be recited and nodded slowly when Pinkie had finished. The unicorn shuffled around so that she was facing the pony head on, before speaking her mind.

“I’ve been having dreams of the rather frightful sort, for some time now. It mostly stopped when Spike left for Canterlot four years ago, but since he returned…they returned as well. They were dreams about him.”

Pinkie’s face lit up in recognition, a smile presenting itself as well. “Oooh, so did he save you from those spooks in your dreams then?” Rarity blushed at the idea of Spike rescuing her from some scary creature from the Everfree Forest.

“N-no…he was the nightmare.” She lowered her head, remembering one of her most recent dreams about the dragon. _Oh, she’ll be so upset with me for this…and I deserve it too._

“Huh?”

“In my dreams he was…terrorizing Ponyville, just like he did four years ago…only…he was much larger. He seemed to be coming after me specifically, always showing up when I was about to break down.” She took a deep breath of air to settle her growing panic. She felt like she was reliving the nightmare as she told it. “I…I think that I am afraid of him. Of what he’s grown into or what he could become if his greed should return.”

She tried to stay calm; telling herself that it was only a dream when she knew that it was more than that. _I’m sorry, Spike._ “What if…what he is greedy for is me? I’m afraid of what he would do. The dreams become more terrifying each night.” _But last night…last night I didn’t have any dreams like that. Why not?_ She couldn’t focus on a possible reason at the moment, however, so Rarity locked gazes with Pinkie again. “…I know I should not have these dreams, I know he would never bring me to harm either, but my mind simply cannot live with that constant feeling. Those claws and the tail spikes…those teeth.” Rarity began to wonder what it would be like to kiss the dragon on the lips, presented with the constant fear of feeling those jagged edged razors.

“But Spike has great control over his tail and claws and stuff.”

“I know, I know.” The fashionista exhaled miserably. “That is why I feel just awful about all of this. It is not my want to be afraid of him, he’s a lovely friend to me, but I feel like that is the only possible conclusion I can draw from these dreams.”

“Maybe,” Pinkie replied, looking contemplative. Rarity waited on baited breath for whatever it was that she was thinking. “Or maybe it’s because of all the stuff you made him do in the past that is making you feel guilty toward him.”

Rarity tilted her head in confusion, surprised by what the pink pony was suggesting. “What do you mean?”

Pinkie shuffled closer to the unicorn, her cerulean eyes narrowed and trained on Rarity. “Okay, so what if, instead of him being gigantic and scary looking in your dreams because you fear what he became before, you actually fear that he won’t forgive you for your past treatment of him?” That caught the proper lady off guard; she focused closer on what Pinkie was trying to say. “You said it yourself, he’s targeting you. The bigger he is, the more you think he has to forgive you for, at least in your mind. It doesn’t seem like Dream Spike’s forgiven you for any of it though.”

Rarity leaned back on her haunches, processing what her usually excitable friend had just told her. _That…cannot be true._ “Pinkie…” She sighed again, conceding and staring at the carpeted floor. _But then again…_ “There may be some truth to that. I am still unsure how it would work between us.” The fashionista pushed herself up and sauntered over to a window as she thought aloud. “How would ponies react to seeing a dragon and a pony together? How would my business-” A wave of weakness almost overcame the mare, as she sat down again. _My business?! That’s what I think about?!_ Her shoulders sagged as she tried to hold in her tears. _Yes, I do care for the little dragon._ She breathed in a ragged breath of air as a vision of her dancing with Spike crossed her mind. _But no, I do not know if I love him._

From behind the mare, she felt hooves wrap around her and cradle her gently. “He treats you nicely, doesn’t he?” Pinkie asked, trying her best to ease the unicorn’s sorrows.

Rarity sniffed and wiped away a stray tear. “Yes. Better than any of the stallions I have been with. But that’s just another problem, he isn’t a stallion.” She shuddered slightly and stepped out of the other mare’s loose grasp to look at her again. “That should not matter to me. But it does, and I do not know if I can change that. I just don’t know if I can think of him in the same way that he thinks of me.”

After a few seconds, a soft smile spread across Pinkie Pie’s face. “You’re trying. That’s all that matters. I should probably head home. It’s getting pretty late out.” Rarity turned and watched the pink pony head for the stairs.

“Yes, of course.” The proper lady followed closely behind as they descended to the first floor. “We will finish the dress some other time, I suppose.” Rarity smiled at Pinkie as they faced each other at the door. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie, for listening to a selfish mare…and for helping me.”

Pinkie appraised her with a stern expression on her face, schooling the cheerful smile from seconds earlier. “You’re not selfish, Rarity.”

“I…” The seamstress blinked. She hesitated, staring into her friend’s uncompromising gaze. A smile, more like a grimace, found its way onto her face as Rarity gave in. “Alright. I’m sorry I said that.” _I am selfish, truly…but there is no use arguing it at this time._

Pinkie’s demeanour softened and she began to bounce joyfully. “No problem, Rarity; happy to help. Bye!”

“Goodbye!” Rarity magicked the door open and the party pony bounded through it, hopping off to her home for sleep. The fashionista watched her leave and closed the door behind her. She leaned heavily against the frame. “Oh, what have I gotten myself into? Is it natural fear of dragons, or is it my own irrational fear of him becoming a-?” Her voice trailed off into a whimper.

She shut her eyes and shook her head. _Monster._ Rarity’s lower lip trembled again. Her thoughts came unbidden to her, as she stood up and stared into her empty boutique. “What if Pinkie Pie is right? What if my fear is that he will never forgive me for what I put him through? It would explain the nightmares, but what about after the wedding and last night? I had no such dreams. Oh, this is the most difficult decision I have had to make, and I might not make the right one. Do I truly deserve his forgiveness at all?” She didn’t receive an answer, instead wondering if she even wanted one for such a complicated situation.

Opalescence walked up to her from the kitchen and took a seat before Rarity. She pet the fluffy white cat with the pink bowtie in her hair and smiled a weary smile. _I wonder if you know how much cheer you bring me…_ Her cat meowed and ran up the steps to the unicorn’s room.

Feeling completely warn out and frazzled, Rarity sauntered from her front door, following Opalescence up the stairs and into her bedroom. She hadn’t had dinner, but she didn’t care. The thoughts warring within her mind silenced the sounds of her empty stomach. Rarity sighed heavily and wiggled her way under the covers. She fell asleep thinking about Spike, shortly after.


	10. Chapter 10

Spike

“I can’t believe I did that,” Spike muttered under his breath.

Behind him was Sweet Apple Acres, apple trees planted randomly across the fields, with Ponyville lying off to the east. North and east of his old home town was the Everfree Forest, marshlands and swamps, gnarled and haggard trees all clustered together. Spike’s attention was more focused on the dirt and gravel road, extending out in front of him. He had never been so embarrassed in all his life, the purple dragon would be lucky if Rainbow Dash just kept laughing, then maybe he could recover some of his lost dignity.

Applejack had said that it was fine multiple times; that it was in fact her fault for forcing him to try his claw at apple bucking, but it still bothered him. He didn’t know his strength, that was true, but he should have known not to become carried away by peer pressure. _I’ll never be able to show my face at Sweet Apple Acres again._ The orange pony with the Stetson had promised to give Rainbow Dash a stern talking to when she calmed down, but that wouldn’t do much for Spike’s damaged pride. _That poor tree._

He wasn’t looking forward to when Twilight learned of this little incident. She had made a big deal about it this morning over his new peaches and cream oatmeal breakfast, but Spike had only smirked at the studious mare.

“I just think you would do well to know what you’re doing before you agree to it,” Twilight had reiterated for the second time. He remembered playing it off as just her overactive imagination going overboard. She was seated at the table, her back to the window as she enjoyed the mouth-watering breakfast delight in front of her.

The sun’s rays had gleamed in from the window, bathing the dining room, and the tips of the dragon’s scales in the morning light. Spike had been scooping his last spoonful of oats out of the pot to sit and join her. “Twilight, I don’t want to think about that right now. Can’t we just enjoy my breakfast?” He felt bad about it now, walking along the path. _I know she meant well, but I had more important things to worry about than what I agreed to do with Applejack and Rainbow Dash._

“I’m just saying, it would be nice for them to have told you what it was they were planning. It might become out of hoof if they don’t know how strong you are.”

The dragon’s tail flicked back and forth as he reached the outskirts of the Apple family’s farm. He smiled as he remembered that all too truthful confession back at the library. “I can’t tell you how much I missed your nagging over the years.” In Canterlot everything seemed to be so calm, as far as the royal palace was concerned. There were no constantly distraught mares there who needed his help to reorganise books and papers and scrolls, or to send carefully thought out documents that were revised several times before being sent off to the princess. Even Princess Luna, who he had suspected would be most like Twilight in terms of being busy and stressed over minor things, had rarely been in need of his assistance.

“I am not nagging. I’m simply trying to keep you from injuring yourself or others accidentally. You told me yourself you haven’t done anything like this before, not even in Canterlot.”

“You didn’t seem upset on any other day that I was with somepony.”

“That’s because none of those days required any heavy lifting.”

“I know…I don’t know my own strength yet, but I promised, didn’t I? I’ll take it easy, I swear!” This was leading nowhere. He had shrugged his shoulders and begun to eat his delectable-looking meal. He remembered taking the first bite, feeling his taste buds grin in pleasure. _Another job well done with heating._ Twilight had been impressed with his flame control as she had watched him work. The oatmeal had boiled nicely and the peaches were arranged in an intricate pattern he had developed to draw the eye. _It might have had something to do with being around Rarity for so long._ Milk and peach sauce had been drizzled over the meal to complete the simple, but elegant dish.

“I suppose so. Oh, alright! I’m too starving to argue anyway, let’s dig in,” Twilight had said, enveloping a spoon in her magic to sample her meal. The memory of her taking her first bite elicited a chuckle from Spike as he walked. It was her first time eating it, the dragon having discovered the recipe in Canterlot. He had decided to try it out, and from this morning’s trial run, Spike knew it had to be good.

His pace came to an abrupt end, near a tree. Spike felt the gravel under his clawed feet, crumbling under his weight. He was still ambling along, on his way to Fluttershy’s cottage, but his conversation with Twilight had brought up some worrying thoughts that he was reminded of now. _That look she gave me…was she scared that I would hurt her? My claws-_ He had thought long and hard into his pillow about how Rarity had stared at him last night. The eight foot-long dragon could think of no other reason for her to react that way, or at least, he didn’t want to think about the other possible reason.

Spike resumed his journey, and he tried not to think too hard on what had happened that night. _Rarity wouldn’t do that if she didn’t care,_ he thought, passing by some houses on the outskirts of Ponyville. It wasn’t too far from his friend’s house now. _I-I mean…if she didn’t like me, she wouldn’t have offered to dance with me._ He ground his teeth, trying to forget what his mind was telling him.

“Spike? Are you okay?” His morning with Twilight flashed before his eyes again. The alicorn had placed a hoof over his lower arm. Her worried expression still burned in his mind. Spike had managed to smile back, standing up from his seat.

_No, I’m not._ He wanted to say that to her now. Instead, the dignitary had replied, “Yeah, I’m alright. I should probably be heading over to Sweet Apple Acres though. I’ll see you later, okay Twilight?”

“Sure, if there’s any trouble, you know where to find me.” The astute mare stood up from her seat as well, and walked over to give him a tender hug before he left.

“In a mountain of books on the floor?”

“A wise guy, huh? Out mister.” She pointed to the door, an amused grin just barely contained on her face. Spike managed to chuckle at the memory, almost feeling himself again.

_I can’t let Twilight see me like that anymore. She worries too much about me as it is._ Spike wandered down the dirt roads and the streets and alleyways on the way to Fluttershy’s cottage, he just wished it wasn’t so far away. It stood on the northeast end of Ponyville, just a few meters west of the Everfree Forest. Spike knew he could fly there, but he dare not. He didn’t want to frighten some unknowing ponies with a dragon flying overhead.

When he arrived at the door, he knocked three times, stepped back down to the bottom, and waited. _‘Beast…’_ Rarity’s words still echoed inside his skull, and even though Spike had an easier time of ignoring them now, he still heard them from time to time. _‘Spike that’s not true!’_ She had hugged him then, if only to bring comfort to a friend she had unintentionally injured. He was grateful for that at least, not allowing himself to look into it much further. _Just one more day._ Spike managed to calm himself as he waited for the door to swing open, a light blush staining his otherwise purple cheeks. _Rarity is still a really good dancer, even better than I remember. I could have just danced all night._

“Spike?” said a quiet voice from the backyard. He looked around to the back and saw the timid pegasus, with her ears perked up, most likely to make sure she heard a knocking. But when the two matched eyes, she smiled. “Oh, it is you. I’m so sorry, I was feeding my little animal friends.”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy. May I join you?”

“Sure, I’ll open the gate.”

“No need,” he said, waving his clawed hand. Spike flapped his wings to gain some lift and soared down to meet Fluttershy in the yard. It was only then that he realised that he had just done what he had wanted to prevent from happening on the journey over here. Squirrels and chipmunks squeaked and scurried around, birds chirped or squawked, and fright filled the yard as Spike looked on. All of Fluttershy’s animals were running around the yard, either fleeing or hiding from him, or growling his way. His jaw clenched as he looked to the timid pegasus apologetically. “Sorry.”

“Oh dear,” said Fluttershy, as her head turned this way and that, looking at her fearful animals. “Please settle down all of you. It’s alright, he’s a friend of mine.” Spike sat away from Fluttershy, so as not to seem like he was about to do anything horrible to their caretaker, or them. The situation began to diffuse, most of the creatures realising that Spike hadn’t actually taken any harmful action. The smaller birds and squirrels still hid away in trees or under bushes. The dragon diplomat felt a twinge of guilt run through him at their obvious distress. “I’m so sorry, Spike. They are mostly timid creatures. They don’t know you and…most are new here.”

“It’s alright, Fluttershy. I should have been more careful.” _I’m used to it._ Spike looked to all of the stressed faces around him, feeling very self-conscious. His heart ached. He wanted to fly away again. _Why did I have to be born a dragon?_ He swallowed and turned back to Fluttershy. “Are you still able to spend the day with me?”

The yellow mare brightened. “Oh, yes, of course. I mean…if you still want to…that is.” Spike nodded gently and relaxed a little bit as he saw the other animals returning to their own business. Some still eyed him suspiciously every so often, he couldn’t really blame them. “Well, just let me finish up here, and then we can figure something out, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll just wait here,” replied Spike, lying down near the gate to the backyard. He didn’t want to frighten Fluttershy’s friends again, so he thought it best if he stayed well enough away, safe from all those frightened faces.

“Okay. I won’t be long,” said the pegasus, smiling softly at the dragon. As Fluttershy flew off to continue her creature feeding, Spike’s mind shifted back to earlier in the morning when he had encountered Rarity.

When the seamstress had spoken, the dragon jumped a little, too wrapped up in his thoughts to realise where he was going, or who he was nearly bumping into. She was as elegant as she had been at the party, but a saddlebag hung from her back this morning. “Hi Rarity. I didn’t think I’d see you today. Not that that’s a bad thing that I did see you, I was just…thinking about what Applejack and Rainbow Dash wanted to do.” _Smooth, Spike, velvety smooth._

Rarity had merely grinned back and waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh think nothing of it, dear. I think if I had been more focused on my own thoughts we would have passed each other by unknowingly. As for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself.”

He ground his teeth again. _Yeah, until I kick an entire tree out of the ground._ Spike crossed his arms as he rested, flexing his wings carefully. _I hope she’s okay out there,_ he thought.

“Spike, you are a dear to offer, but I’m alright. You have plans after all and I’ve managed just fine without your help these last few years.” Spike winced, remembering the harsh tinge to her voice. He knew she hadn’t meant to be so blunt; it was on impulse that he had asked to join her and she had known that. _This isn’t four years ago. She was doing this without me without any problems, even back before I came here with Twilight, most likely._ “I cannot expect you to drop everything on my account. Not when you have plans already. It would be inappropriate.”

Spike’s wings had felt very uncomfortable at that point. He remembered trying to reposition them in a more familiar place, but never truly succeeded.

The fashionista smiled sweetly at the dragon. “We still can make plans for that, make no mistake. I enjoy your company greatly.” Spike’s legs almost buckled when he heard that. He blushed at the memory as he lay seated on the grass. _She…she still enjoys spending time with me._

From behind Balloons and Things, the plan your own party store, the eight foot-long dragon had dared to glance back at the shrinking figure of Rarity.

Spike regretted parting with Rarity on such terms, but Spike couldn’t look into those sapphire eyes any longer. He would surely break. His hesitance to respond to her last sentence was too obvious for her not to have noticed that something was off. The dignitary was almost thankful that she hadn’t galloped after him. _I…don’t really have anything planned for us…it’s just…there is something I need to confess. If I can’t say it then, or even think it while talking to her without panicking, how am I meant to explain it to her at the boutique?_

He pushed those thoughts to the side for now, seeing Fluttershy soaring over to meet him. Spike raised his head to meet her gaze. “So, Fluttershy, did you have anything in mind for us to do today?” asked Spike, trying to sound cheerful.

“Not particularly, Spike,” whispered the yellow pegasus, with a shake of her head. “I haven’t been up to much for a while actually, just the usual. Oh!” Fluttershy placed a hoof over her muzzle. Her face twisted in thought, her apprehension showing plainly.

Spike raised himself up and stepped closer to the shy pony, his interest piqued. “What’s wrong? Did you think of something?”

“Uh, well…yes…” Fluttershy replied, although hesitantly. Spike watched her expressions change as she attempted to find the right words. “I was just…wondering…about what could be further in…inside the Everfree Forest. I’ve always kind of wondered to be honest, but I haven’t been able to explore it. There’s no telling what could be in there.”

There were many mysterious things about the forest outside of Ponyville. Most musings about the Everfree Forest went unanswered. The tree line stretched for miles, over hills and across mountains, near coastlines and in the valleys before Canterlot.

Much of the center was unexplored by anypony. It was frightening to imagine what could be lurking inside, if timberwolves and manticores appeared just on the borders, there was no way of knowing what horrors resided deeper inside. Spike had flown over the forest several times over his years as an ambassador, the Everfree being so expansive it was difficult to avoid soaring over it, but the last time he had been inside was at least four years ago.

Spike hummed his agreement. “I must admit I have always wanted to explore that forest more thoroughly. If you want, I could go with you. I should be able to keep anything in there at a comfortable distance from us.”

“Oh, no, I couldn’t.” Fluttershy put a hoof to her mouth quickly. “I mean, doesn’t that seem dangerous? What would my little friends do if I wasn’t able return to feed them tomorrow?”

Spike laughed. “I’ll take care of anything that comes our way. I’ve gone on escort quests throughout my days in Canterlot.”

An heiress from the Griffin Kingdom had requested an escort back to her own lands, fearing that some shadow she had seen while flying to Canterlot might steal her away. Princess Celestia assured her that no such incident would happen on her lands, but nonetheless agreed to provide a guard. The eight foot-long dragon had recovered from his last quest to the camel savannah of Bactrani and the zebra plains of Dolich, so the alicorn had him escort her back. It had been a long and arduous journey to the southern islands that had left his wings aching and sore for weeks, but Spike had agreed to take the heiress back and the passage from pony territory to the griffin mountains to the north went off without any trouble.

“Well, if you’re sure.” Spike nodded in reply, which seemed to relieve the pegasus from her stress and uncertainty. “Okay, why not? I’m sure we’ll find all sorts of little critters that I’ll just want to hug and hold and carry home with me.”

“Did you need to prepare at all for the trip? I’m ready now, so whenever you are we can get going.” Spike took a seat in front of her, looking over at Fluttershy’s cottage and the chicken coop. He saw Angel Bunny standing at the door to the cottage, eyeing him warily, but not coming close to the winged creature. Spike’s smile dripped smugness. _Give me the evil eye all you want, you know you can’t do anything to upset me now._

“Oh, I will just let all of my little friends know I will be away for a few hours. Everything else is already taken care of, so we can leave right away.” Fluttershy took flight and began to let the feeding animals know what was happening.

While the timid pegasus sorted out her affairs, Spike found himself reliving last night. _I can’t believe I did that; what was I thinking asking her to dance like that?_ He was smiling despite himself. _Though, she said she didn’t mind._ The eight foot-long dragon stood up on all fours and gazed around the yard. It hadn’t changed in size much since he last saw it, though Fluttershy probably didn’t really need any new room for her animal friends. The chicken coop was still present closest to the house. A stream ran along on the outside and a bridge joined her home with the pathway at the front. He doubted he would be able to fit into her cottage now. If any house wasn’t built for a dragon of his size, it would be this one.

That thought upset him greatly. It made him worry about tomorrow, when he would meet with Rarity for their… _date._ He swallowed hard on that word. _What if…what if I can’t even fit in through her door? What would she say?_ Spike glanced up at the sun, set on its descent down for the night to begin. He managed a smile as he raised a clawed hand to shield his eyes. _She would probably bring the food outside and eat in the sunlight. I hope she’s alright on her own out there._

Spike shook his head as soon as he thought that. _She’s fine. It has been four years since I was helping her with anything. I’m sure she’s doing fine without me._ Those last two words were what made him clench his jaws next. _I…I am the one that needs her help this time. I just hope this doesn’t break up our friendship._

After Fluttershy finished speaking to all of her animals, Angel Bunny taking up most of that time with squeaks and other such complaints for her leaving him, the two friends took to the skies and were soon over the forest canopy. The sun shone down on them, casting lengthening shadows along the earth as the day drew on. Cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds covered the skies over the Everfree Forest, yet the sun still reached the thick and gnarled trees with its life giving warmth.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in there, hasn’t it?” Spike mused.

Fluttershy chuckled. “I think that goes for the both of us. We haven’t had much need to be in there after all.”

“I guess you’re right,” Spike said, grinning a tooth-filled grin. “So how far do you want to go before we land?” He turned his head downward to squint inside the ancient forest. There really was no telling what could be in there, but that only made the eight foot-long dragon curious. _This’ll be much better than relaxing on the grass._

“I’m not sure. We’re already well past the Castle of the Two Sisters. This is farther than I’ve ever been; oh, maybe at the clearing over there.” Fluttershy pointed over to the left. Sure enough, there was a profound break in the tree line next to a hill-side area.

“Sure, sounds good to me.”

Even in broad daylight, Spike could see how the forest closed in around him, stifling the air and leaving a lingering sense of dread. The soil beneath his clawed feet was dry, barely able to support grasses and flowers among the trees.

“Alright, now step softly. We wouldn’t want to disturb any small animals that could be resting or eating.” Fluttershy spoke, taking the lead, just wandering to the rim of the clearing.

“That’s a bit difficult to do when you’re a dragon of my size,” said Spike, good humoredly.

All at once, the environment flooded with all sorts of species; from swallows and sparrows to a large iguana crawling on a tree branch. All around Fluttershy, a group of little yellow birds flew in sync with one another, creating a wedge formation in the sky. Snakes, bees and animals of all kinds permeated the clearing, intent on identifying what had landed near their homes.

Fluttershy’s eyes sparkled with delight at the multitude of different, brightly coloured animals. “Wow, yellow finches. I didn’t expect to see any of those here. They’re so beautiful. Oh, and a blue tongued skink. He must be lost, he’s normally found in a dryer climate, or maybe it’s a new subspecies adapted to live in moist forested areas.”

The afternoon drew on, beams of light still striking the clearing just over the tops of the mountains and trees; however little, it was welcome to the dragon to have the area illuminated, so he could keep a wary eye on the treeline. As Fluttershy spoke with the new animals, some birds seemed bold enough to fly past and even land on Spike’s head. He tilted his head, but he smiled at the interaction.

He lay on his stomach and watched the scene play out with a tired grin. _Well, she seems to be enjoying herself at least,_ Spike thought, glancing back over at the timid pony. _I probably shouldn’t move much, I don’t want to disturb the animals. Maybe I can-!_ Spike’s ears picked up some noise in the distance, interrupting his thoughts.

His senses flared as he turned to face the sound, all his hearing trained on the area it came from. There it was again. His eyes widened. He bolted toward Fluttershy as the birds took off startled by his sudden movement. He wheeled around to stand between the pegasus and the treeline, opening his wings to protect and shuffle Fluttershy away from the edge of the forest. He turned his head as he extended his wings anxiously.

“Get behind me, Fluttershy!” Spike yelled, taking up a defensive stance in front of the timid pegasus.

“What is it, Spike?” Fluttershy replied, flinching slightly as she saw the dragon’s wings fly across her vision.

Spike growled at the darkness before him. “Just stay there. I heard something and it isn’t friendly. We need to leave as soon as possible.”

Before that piece of advice could be heeded, out of the forest underbrush walked a large black wolf. Spike snarled when he realised, scrunching up his nose. This was no timberwolf, normally spotted on the borders of the Everfree; this was a direwolf, a dark and menacing creature. It was almost six feet-long, though coming up a head shorter than Spike; the black coated wolf had broad shoulders and long, powerful legs. It was something Spike never imagined would live here. The creature bared its fangs, showing off its large canines in an attempt to intimidate the dragon.

“Oh my…” He heard Fluttershy whisper behind him.

The two larger creatures stared at each other in silence, until the wolf placed a paw on the soil of the clearing. The purple dragon clenched his jaw, took in a deep breath and let out a terrifying, deafening roar. The sound echoed through the dense trees, into the skies and in the caverns, far off in the mountains, spooking the birds and other creatures from their resting places.

Everything went silent.

The direwolf didn’t flinch, only continuing her slow approach. She licked her lips, staring at the dragon and Fluttershy. Spike understood what she was really after and shifted his eyes to make certain that the timid pegasus had heeded his warning. Sure enough, she was behind him, trembling terribly. _I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I brought us here. I’m going to get us out though._ He turned back to face the hungry animal.

The great wolf prowled around in circles, Spike following her every move. He was on high alert; growling low, he always kept himself between the direwolf and Fluttershy.

The wolf lunged at him from his left, going for his neck, but Spike drew back and scratched at the creature’s side. The direwolf dodged out of the way before any serious damage could be made, but did not back down. The animal growled loudly at Spike and paced off further to his left side as another wolf appeared to the right from out of his peripheral vision, running toward the dragon at full speed.

“Spike! Look out!” Fluttershy cried.

Spike twisted around and whipped his tail at the direwolf, hitting him hard and tossing him into a tree. “Fluttershy, be careful! Keep an eye on them, there could be more.” Spike’s right arm tensed up as teeth sunk into his scales. The female wolf had carried out a successful surprise attack, burying her canines farther in, but Spike wasn’t about to admit defeat.

He clenched the fist of his trapped arm and shook the wolf roughly until she lost her grip, throwing her to the ground. With his other arm, he scratched at the wolf’s face, leaving the creature bloody.

“Spike!”

Another intense surge of pain greeted the eight foot-long dragon on his right hind leg. The second wolf had recovered more quickly than Spike had anticipated, and now it had a firm grip on his calf. He grunted in pain at the pressure on his muscles, eyeing the female direwolf through clenched teeth. _I can’t fly up and get rid of him that way, because the other wolf will attack Fluttershy._ The female was up again, ready to have another go at Spike, but as she started another assault, the dragon took in a breath and let out a stream of green flame in front of the animal. It scorched the ground and burned the plants with a hot intensity, barely missing the wolf’s legs.

This time she did jump in surprise, not expecting this larger creature to breathe fire, Spike assumed. Sensing now that this was a losing battle, she turned tail and ran back into the deep forest. Now relieved of one of the animals, the dragon spread his wings and lifted himself off the ground. With his unhindered hind-leg, Spike scratched at the direwolf’s exposed stomach, loosening the grip on his other leg. At the same time he whipped his tail at the creature’s side, making him yelp in pain. The wolf let go, dropped to the ground and ran.

Spike landed and folded his great wings back to his sides. He was breathing heavily, a bit unprepared for such an agile and intelligent pair of animals, but he was unharmed. The muscles where they had bitten were already aching, but he ignored those feelings.

“Oh my goodness!” cried Fluttershy in dismay, as she cantered over to see him. “Are you hurt, Spike? Let me see! Oh, you poor dear. That was not a very nice pair of…whatever they were. We need to get to the hospital immediately, you could be seriously hurt.”

Spike just smiled and showed her his arm where the direwolf first latched onto it. “Don’t worry, dragon scales. Hardly felt a thing. They’ve actually become much thicker over the years, not that I’ve had much practice in this sort of business to test them. They’re still quite light though, useful for fast turns and flight.”

“Oh, thank Celestia. That was amazing! I’ve never seen a creature like that before. What were they?” Fluttershy asked, still wide-eyed in awe at what just transpired.

“Direwolves. I’ve seen them on my travels, though I have never actually had the pleasure of fighting one before. They’re from the western and northeastern continents: the Ibexian Tundra to the west and above the Thrashing Shroud Sea to the northeast. I didn’t realize they would be here in the Everfree Forest. I thought the worst would be timberwolves, or a cockatrice.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” the timid pony asked, brushing Spike’s scales with a tender hoof.

“I’m fine, really; didn’t even draw blood. But we should probably leave here while we can. I don’t know what the learning curve on those wolves is, and I’d rather not have to find out.” Without another word, Spike spread his wings and took off, with Fluttershy close beside him.

“Well, that was a rather interesting adventure. There are all sorts of creatures living deeper inside that I never would have expected could or would want to live in these trees.” Fluttershy stared down at the thick forest, full of old and menacing trees and shrubs. “I don’t think anypony’s been in that deep before.”

Spike smirked. “That’s because they didn’t have a dragon big enough to defend them.”

“Thanks, Spike. I’m still sorry that I put you through all of that for me.” Fluttershy dropped her eyes again to look at the ground far below in sadness. By now, they were out of the forest and nearing her cottage, but the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains.

“Don’t be,” he replied, lifting up her head with a claw to smile at her broadly; that seemed to cheer her up. _I’m the one that made you believe nothing would go wrong,_ he thought. When they reached the cottage it was evening, the sun having set behind the trees, allowing the light of Luna’s night to take over. After a bit of tea and cookies and relaxation, Spike bid Fluttershy goodbye and goodnight.

He took off, his wings unfurled as he made his way in the shimmer of the moon to Twilight’s house. As he soared, Spike peered down at all of the houses and businesses that he missed; almost as much as he missed the ponies that lived or worked inside them.

Quills and Sofas, Spike never understood why those two went together. He had given up before he left for Canterlot; Lyra’s home and Cheerilee’s, Rarity’s boutique. He grinned at the sight of the fashionista’s abode, remembering that their day together was tomorrow. The dragon purposefully didn’t think of anything to do ahead of time, allowing the beautiful unicorn to choose what they would do.

Spike spied the library in the distance and coasted down to land before the front steps. He had grown immensely over the years, and this comparison of dragon and door size made the difference of a few years much more obvious. _Pretty soon she’ll have to find a larger door, or I will have to find an apartment large enough for me._ He knocked on the door and waited. His tail flicked back and forth slowly. A lavender aura covered the frame as the door opened wide. Twilight stood there, smiling as she looked up to meet Spike’s eyes.

“Spike, you’re back! How was your day with Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy?” she asked.

“It was fun. I kicked one of Applejack’s trees out of the soil on accident, nearly beat Rainbow Dash in a flying contest and Fluttershy and I explored the deeper parts of the Everfree Forest.”

Twilight looked startled at the day Spike had gone through. “Why did you kick one of Applejack’s trees out of the soil? And the Everfree Forest isn’t safe for baby–!”

Spike chuckled as the lavender alicorn covered her mouth with a hoof. He missed that mothering side of her while he was on his journeys. He missed her most days, unable to ask her for advice over what to do as a dignitary. Though Princess Celestia and Princess Luna taught him well and answered any of the questions or concerns that he had.

“Oh, Spike, I’m sorry I didn’t mean–!”

“It’s okay. I have to say I missed that in Canterlot. The princesses are nice and all, but you were always there for me back then.” Twilight smiled warmly at the eight foot-long dragon before her. “I also missed proving you wrong on several occasions.”

The smile vanished, replaced with a frown. “Get in here, mister.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Spike said, walking into the home and swinging his tail to keep it clear of any obstacles. Twilight seated herself down in the living room and listened as Spike told her about what transpired today. She commented on the dragon’s lack of foresight with both of the tasks, but was also happy that he had saved Fluttershy from the direwolf. Once all was said and done, both creatures were yawning openly. They bid the other goodnight and Twilight ascended the stairs while Spike remained on the first floor, wrapping himself in his blankets. Twilight blew out the lights with her magic, and Spike soon drifted off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Rarity

“Oh my, whatever am I going to do?” The fashionista paced around her room, magicking dresses around herself franticly. “He’ll be here soon, and I still don’t know what to wear.” _Should I even be wearing anything?_ Rarity asked herself. She bit her lip as she held a fleece dress up to herself. _Of course I have to wear something. It would be rude not to._

Rarity levitated another dress over to her, hanging the other one back into her wardrobe with her magic. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this frustrated and frazzled about what she wore. It was truly absurd to her. Her dream had been at fault for making her nervous about this whole ordeal.

The white unicorn had woken up from her dreams early, even before the sun was rising. Rarity now sat on her haunches, in front of her closet, trying to think of what to be wearing when Spike came for a visit. It had started out as her usual unbidden nightmares did. The fashionista had fled from Ponyville, and into the Everfree Forest, finding shelter from the fires in a dark, dank cave. Rarity was crying softly into her hooves when she heard the all too familiar rumbling of the earth, the horrible sound of sniffing and growling, seeming to come from just atop her head.

The beast had followed her. It let out a terrible roar that caused some stalactites to fall from the ceiling of her cave and crumble on the floor. Rarity shivered and curled up tight at the very back of the cavern, fearing what the creature would do once it captured her. A racking sob erupted from the unicorn and tears began to run down her cheeks. However, in that moment, she had felt a claw rest on her shoulder.

Rarity had recoiled instantly, gasping, her sapphire-coloured eyes shooting open at the contact.

The seamstress gazed at a piece of cotton fabric absentmindedly as she recalled the dream. Her vision had caught her off guard. She had assumed that the beast had finally seized her, grabbing her in its ferocious claws. It was over. It was Spike who had placed a claw on her shoulder. Rarity had glanced down and seen the dragon, who was wearing that tuxedo and bowtie she had made for him years ago.

She awoke shortly after. Rarity had been sweating from the previous vision, sitting forward in her bed, but the change in the outcome was far better than it had been before. The unicorn still felt dazed and confused, her hair soaked and matted. It had taken her a few moments to recall where she was, so enraptured in her dream sequence. _It felt so real,_ she thought, placing the dress back on its hanger in her wardrobe. _It was like I was…back four years ago, with little Spikey-Wikey smiling up at me._

She smiled gently, and magicked the closet door closed. Rarity made her way over to her mirror, her mane and tail already perfectly curled for when Spike arrived. Birds chirped outside her opened window, looking for worms or fruits or, singing sweet serenades for their mates. The sun was rising above the tops of the trees, Rarity noticed. Light radiated into her room, catching a facet of Rarity’s favourite gemstone, still resting in the gold necklace on top of her dresser.

It made her smile as she picked the precious jewel up in her magic. _‘This beautiful gem was meant to be with you’._ Rarity’s eyes watered, gazing at the lovely gift. She brought a hoof up to her eyes and wiped the tears away. “Oh, Spike, you’re too generous to me.” The seamstress stared at herself in the antique mirror once more, and fastened the jewel around her neck. “This will be enough for now. A dress would simply be too much like a date anyway. I’m still not sure…but…if what happened at the party was any indication of how things might change; I will give it a chance.”

Feeling confident in her choice, Rarity magicked all of her dresses and necklaces back into their rightful places and proceeded down the stairs. Sweetie Belle had since awoken and was already on the first floor. Rarity saw her open the front door when her little sister glanced back at her.

Sweetie Belle waved politely as the violet-maned unicorn descended. “Oh, hi, Rarity. I’m just about to leave for another cooking lesson with the Cakes. We’re making aubergine parmigiana this time.”

Rarity sighed in remembrance at the name. _An all too familiar dish, truly lovely as I recall._ At the _Red Garden_ restaurant in downtown Ponyville, Rarity had had a wonderful rendition of the meal served to her. _Delectable to a fault. If only my date that day had turned out to be as wonderful_. Rarity growled inwardly at the memory of yet another awful courtship. “Sounds heavenly, dear. I can’t wait to try it myself.”

Sweetie Belle smiled in thanks. “Cool necklace, Rarity. Is that what you’re wearing for when Spike gets here?” Her smile became a smirk suddenly, eyes growing lidded. Rarity had told her about how the dragon was catching up with her and her friends and must have been interested in this little get together the most.

Rarity had the decency to blush. She was standing in front of the cooking prodigy as she touched a hoof to the fire-ruby necklace. “Why yes, Sweetie Belle. I haven’t worn it in many years. It was a gift from Spike to me, so I thought I would wear it for his little visit.” The fashionista took a deep, calming breath, and exhaled, relaxing herself into the conversation.

“It looks great, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle intoned. “I’m sure he’ll like it.”

“Oh, you,” said Rarity, bringing her sister in for a tender hug. “Now run along. You shouldn’t keep your teachers waiting now.”

“Bye Rarity!” Sweetie Belle magicked the door open and waved back at her older sister, before closing it behind her. _She’ll be quite the cook someday,_ thought Rarity. She began to hum a little tune as she made her way into the kitchen to prepare breakfast. The white unicorn found a bowl of oat bran and peach slices waiting for her, still nice and hot from the pot. There was peach juice in the bowl as well, to add to the taste and cool the breakfast down to an appropriate temperature. _Who’s looking after who now?_ she wondered briefly. Rarity took the bowl in her magic and brought it over to the table. She then opened up the fridge and poured herself a glass of mango juice.

“I still have some time before he arrives. This should tide me over until lunch,” she said to herself. Rarity tried to imagine what Spike had planned out for them today. She levitated a spoon up, filled with her breakfast, to take the first bite. The seamstress moaned her approval. As she ate and thought, Rarity only caught glimpses of the ambassador’s expression from the day prior. When she had spoken to him in the streets of Ponyville, he had dodged the question about their plans for today, and that only built up the anxiety that she was feeling now.

She let out a besetting moan of frustration and panic. “What is wrong with me?” she asked herself. “I’ve never had this much doubt when with any stallions. This…this isn’t even a date.” _He’s not a stallion._ Rarity sighed, and scooped another spoonful of oats out of the bowl.

She hadn’t gone out on many dates since Spike left. Not many ended well for her anyway. Most of the stallions that asked Rarity out only wanted a chance to sleep with her, and the others only wanted to know her because she was so popular with the high class Canterlot ponies. It annoyed her. And on the rare occasion that she had been close to ending up in bed with a stallion, she felt guilty about what she had said to the purple dragon. About waiting. _It has been a while._ Eventually, she stopped dating altogether. _He’s going to ask me again today…and I…I don’t know what my answer is._ She brought her hoof up to rest on the red gemstone. “If he asks me…what do I say to him?”

Rarity ate the rest of her meal in silence. When she was finished, she cleaned the dish and spoon, and went to sit on the family room couch at the back of her home. It was up against the wall, facing the kitchen; a luxurious red couch, with varnished oak wood legs and a strand of purple along the rim of the back board. Opalescence was already splayed across the right end of it, bathing in the sunlight streaming in from the back, so Rarity took the left side. She gazed out to her yard through her glass door, stroking her cat’s fur gently. Opalescence purred in response, eliciting a small smile from the mare.

“I suppose…now…all I can do is wait,” said the fashionista. Her cat looked up into her eyes and meowed, making her owner chuckle. “Look at me Opal. I’m not sure whether to be proud of myself for my control, or ashamed for just wanting to have a male in my house again.”

Hours passed by in her shop, Rarity just scratching her cat behind the ear, and having a little nap to calm her nerves. Her pleasant slumber did not last very long. In her dream, Rarity had made her way from Ponyville and into the Everfree Forest, thinking that she would be able to wait out the creature that seemed to be mercilessly hunting her.

She envisioned the twenty foot monster digging its claw into the small cave she had hidden herself in. It growled and grunted as it dug deeper. The cavern was beginning to feel like a furnace, the beast’s breath causing Rarity to sweat and pant profusely. It didn’t take long for its claws to reach her, but from her horn Rarity shot a concentrated burst of magic at the beast’s wrist. It recoiled out of the cavern for a moment. The ground began to shake again, causing Rarity to lose her balance and fall.

The creature roared in agony and anger. She covered her ears as the tumultuous sound continued, reverberating off of the cave walls. Rarity felt the ground rumble as the beast lowered its arm into her hiding place once more. This time though, it sounded more like knocking. A tapping on the rock face.

The violet-maned pony sat up on her couch and rubbed her eyes. Rarity was still breathing heavily. She was shaken, but Rarity took a deep breath and called out, in as sweet and sing-songy a voice as she could manage, “Come in!” She heard the bell over her front door ring and the door shut softly a few seconds after. “I’m in the family room, Spike.” When Rarity opened her eyes and looked to the left of her, she spotted Spike walking into the kitchen. Fundamentally, the house had the same design it had since he was here, the rooms only being larger in size to accommodate for her expanding business, so she didn’t think that the dragon would have any trouble finding his way around.

She felt a sensation, seeing Spike as he walked toward her. A heat developed between her legs abruptly, warmth that Rarity vehemently tried to ignore. _Control yourself, Rarity; this is not one of your stallion friends. It is Spike._ She shifted in her seat to ease the heat she felt in her haunches.

“Hi Rarity-” Spike began, but he halted a few feet before the side of the couch Rarity was using. He stared at her silently, slowly setting down the clawed hand he’d used to wave to her with moments ago. She glanced down at the necklace and felt her heart beat quicken underneath it.

“Oh, this?” She smiled, standing up to show him the jewel properly. “I haven’t worn it in a few years. I thought it would be nice for our day together. Do you like it?”

“I, uh…yeah. It…it looks great on you,” said Spike, a goofy, somewhat uncomfortable looking grin plastering itself on his face. She blushed at the compliment and stepped down from the couch.

“Why thank you, darling. You look quite handsome yourself.” _Easy, Rarity. Be careful what you say around him._ “Well, shall we have something for lunch?”

Spike cleared his throat. “Sure. I can cook something for us.”

“Oh no, Spike, you don’t need to. You’re my guest.”

“I don’t mind, really, Rarity,” said Spike, his pleading emerald eyes staring at her. “I have a meal planned out for us. It won’t take long.”

_Spikey-Wikey…cooking something for me?_ She breathed in deeply, willing her heartbeat to slow down. Rarity recalled that none of those stallions she dated ever offered to cook anything for her. Rarity smiled at the dragon ambassador. “Oh, alright. It is unladylike to deny an offer so sweet. Go ahead, Spike.”

He grinned again, showing off those teeth. Within a few moments, Spike seemed to see that he was simply staring at Rarity. Spike’s cheeks flushed deeper as he turned to start with the meal.

Rarity chuckled quietly, basking in the attention that Spike was giving her. But when she caught a glimpse of those teeth, she felt uncomfortable. _Just remember, it’s little Spikey-Wikey. He wouldn’t hurt me, he adores me._ She smiled at that thought, and turned back to her couch. Opalescence must have moved on sometime after Rarity fell asleep, giving her more room to stretch out on the cushions.

She still felt anxious, the heat rising between her legs. In fact it only became worse as she lay on the couch, unmoving. The fashionista stepped off of her furniture once more and walked over to the counter, where Spike was preparing their meal. The movement of her hips seemed to quell the discomfort Rarity was feeling, allowing her to breathe. _I have two chefs who care deeply for me. What more can a mare ask for?_ Rarity took in a deep breath to smell the delectable scent of lunch in the air. _For this heat to go away. For this not to be happening right now._

“So Spike,” said Rarity, clearing her throat calmly, “how did your day go yesterday?”

“Oh, it was alright. I had a great time with Fluttershy, and Applejack and Rainbow Dash were fun to catch up with too.” He seemed tense as he answered, but Rarity did not think that it was because of her standing there. Spike was holding back something that had happened that day.

She found it difficult to not inquiry further into his nervous reply. “Wonderful, darling. I’m happy it all turned out well.” _Perhaps later I will ask him,_ she thought coolly.

“Yeah, uh…Rarity?” he asked, bringing a pan out of one of her cupboards and placing it on the stovetop. He filled the pan with water and shot a small green flame underneath it, boiling it almost instantly.

“Yes dear?” she said. Her legs felt wobbly suddenly, remembering being surrounded by that same green flame in her dreams. Rarity sat down and placed one of her fore hooves over the other, to stop her shaking. Though through her fear, the seamstress was also a little intrigued by his breath of fire being used to prepare a meal.

Spike slowly turned around, grinning brightly at the seated mare. “What did you do yesterday? Did you collect a ton of jewels for your dresses?”

Rarity chuckled and covered her mouth with a fore hoof, settling in to a familiar topic that they shared an interest in. “Well, not a ton. That wouldn’t be good for my back.” She hesitated, remembering what happened with her gem collecting when she wasn’t careful. The unicorn smiled through her shame. “But yes, I did manage to find a large amount of gemstones that should carry me through this week.”

“That’s great,” he replied, slicing the ingredients with his claws and dropping them into the pan of boiling water. Again, Rarity just watched as he worked. She was still fearful of those talons, but seeing them used in such a fashion was pretty innovative. The two friends stayed quiet for a few moments, allowing Rarity to relax.

She began to pace quietly, back and forth across the kitchen. Rarity kept an eye on Spike’s back, in case he looked over and caught her wandering. Rarity wondered where those wings of his had taken him throughout the years. She found herself missing him even more than when he was actually gone. _Does that mean I missed Spike as merely a friend, or that I simply missed him?_ After a while, she settled her nerves and took her previous seat on the floor just behind the counter.

“Um…so, do you mind if I ask you something, Rarity?” asked Spike, still keeping his back to her.

“Not at all. Go ahead.”

The dragon turned and tapped on the counter with his claws nervously. “W-well…you see- I…okay, I have to know. Which Power Ponies comic do you like the most?”

Spike’s trepidation seemed to dissipate within seconds, appearing more like the little dragon Rarity remembered from four years ago. The violet-maned pony laughed. “Oh, that? Well, there are quite a few good ones. I would say the first battle between Radiance and the Red Wizard.”

“Really?” He leaned over the counter, all ears open to Rarity. It was terribly amusing.

“Why yes. She is my favourite character after all, and until that point in the comic series she did not receive proper development as a super hero. That five-part comic series really brought her up to the front. Truly some excellent writing went into that plotline.” Radiance was a pony with the power to form anything from her imagination into a solid object. She could create prisons or a hammer, an iron anvil, scissors, whatever she needed to defeat the many evildoers of Maretropolis, her home city.

The Red Wizard on the other hoof was her arch enemy. Never before had Radiance been pushed so far to the breaking point than when she faced this villain for the first time. He nearly broke her. His power over illusion, hypnotic and fire magic was almost her unmaking. However, at the last confrontation between the two adversaries, Radiance had cleared her head, abandoned her sight and defeated the great foe with hearing alone.

The Red Wizard’s plan had been to gain enough power, through his illusory and hypnotic magic, to encompass all of Maretropolis in an illusory trap that would create havoc among the residents. However, without his illusion spells to confuse the mare cloaked in her deep purple outfit, adorned with blue stars, the mage was no match for her. Radiance ended up saving many of her fellow superheroes and even some super villains, whose powers had been drained by the wizard’s powers.

“I can’t believe I’m hearing you talk about this.” Spike placed a claw on his head, turning back to the stove to continue his meal preparation.

Rarity couldn’t help but find his fascination with her opinion on comics to be hilarious. “I know. It was rather silly to me at the beginning to read something like that. I usually read romance or mystery novels, but I must admit a strong female lead is a good change from my usual genres.”

“Yeah, she is pretty great. Though I rather like the Masked Matter-horn.”

She was a little disappointed to hear that, though she didn’t understand why. The Masked Matter-horn was the leader of the group, and a powerful spell-caster, so Rarity supposed she would be more popular among fans. “How do you feel about Humdrum after our little adventure into that comic book?” Four years prior, Rarity and her six friends had found themselves inside one of the Power Ponies’ comic books. Spike had unknowingly cast them within the story as the colourful team of super powered equines. It had been the spark of interest with which Rarity had chanced to read those comics in the first place.

“Well, I guess he’s not so bad. He’s helpful when they really need him.”

“Hm. I think he’s cute,” Rarity stated plainly. The dragon spun around, a somewhat unbelieving expression on his face.

“You do?”

“Yes. Just like I thought you were four years ago. But you were cuter with Humdrum’s costume on than he is. Of course, you still have your moments.” Rarity giggled at Spike’s silent reaction. His jaw hung open slightly, as if he were looking for something to say. “Like right now.” Although on the outside, she most likely seemed calm and was just teasing Spike, in her mind, Rarity was panicking. _Why do I keep saying such things? How would this even work between us? And those claws. Those long, sharp, terrifying claws._

“Rarity?”

The seamstress jumped a little as she sat by the kitchen, and turned to look at her guest. He was startled by her reaction, showing clearly on his face. He had moved while she was thinking, Spike now holding one bowl in a claw and the other balanced deftly on one of his wings. Rarity managed a timid smile. “Sorry Spike. I…I see you have the meal prepared. Well then, shall we?”

He nodded wordlessly, appearing nervous again. Spike turned on his heels and carried the two bowls over to the dining room table. Rarity squirmed in her seat, feeling uneasy. _Now stop it, Rarity. It’s only a pleasant meal with a dear friend of mine._ She stood up from her seat behind the counter and made her way over to the table. Spike pulled a chair out for her, and took his own place on the floor opposite her once she was comfy. _Still the gentledrake I remember._ “So what do we have here, Spike?”

“It’s one of the best pasta salads I’ve ever had. Not sure of the name though. The head chefs in Canterlot taught it to me, while I wasn’t off on assignment. I’m glad that you had all of the ingredients necessary, it wouldn’t be the same if anything was missing.”

_The best chefs in the land teaching Spike this recipe?_ Rarity stirred the pasta in her bowl with her magicked spoon, smelling the fragrant aroma emanating from the meal. Chopped tomatoes, olives, chives, cucumbers and basil were mixed in, cooked to perfection, with a creamy stock in the center. Crushed garlic cloves, vinegar and olive oil added to the seasoning of the delightful looking dish. Semi-melted butter floated in the stock as the fashionista took some pasta in her spoon and dipped it into the small amount of liquid.

She brought it up to her nose and breathed in gently. “Lovely,” Rarity said, blowing on it before taking the first taste of the meal. “Oh my goodness. This is heavenly. I have had a meal such as this at a high-class restaurant before, but…it simply does not compare to this.”

Spike smiled bashfully. “I was hoping that you would be the first to taste it. I learned it so I could make it for you.” He scratched the back of his neck, his whole face crimson. “Nopony else has had any, well…except for when I taste tested it. Do you really like it?”

She gaped. _For me? He made this for me?_ Rarity smiled tenderly at the dragon seated before her. _Of course he did, you silly girl._ “Like it? It’s magnificent!” After a moment, Spike responded to her with a heartwarming grin, utterly goofy and incredibly innocent. She loved it. It made the seamstress’ day, to be the pony to give him that smile.

“I’m so glad you like it, Rarity.” Spike’s wings shuffled around on his back. They were quite large, now that Rarity could have a moment to appraise them. It reminded her of a long purple cape; leathery and thick, they carried on from above his shoulders and down over half his tail’s length, roughly six feet-long folded up. He draped them over his sides and let them hang down to touch the floor of her boutique.

Realising that she had been staring, Rarity coughed into her hoof and dipped her head to look at the bowl in front of her. The violet-maned unicorn sat in silence for a while, continuing to eat the lunch Spike had prepared. She glanced up occasionally, to smile sweetly at the dragon. He was gazing back at her at one point, and turned away when she noticed.

Rarity became flushed, blood rushing to her cheeks. _His insecurity around me never drew out this feeling before. I-I’m simply unaccustomed to having a male in my home. Or a dragon with a tail like a trident._ She bit down on her lip and shifted in her seat again. “So, Spike…what do you have planned for us today, if I may ask? Surely you have some idea as to what we might catch up on?” She stared at Spike optimistically; equally hopeful that he did not notice her nerves and her stress overcoming her as she spoke.

“Actually, Rarity. I didn’t really plan much else out for us today, other than the lunch. I kind of had another reason for wanting to see you.”

“Yes?” She blinked a few times, surprised at his sudden change in posture. He sat up right now, almost stiff in his pose; it made her all the more fearful of the coming topic. _Is he going to ask me on an actual date now?_ Her eyes struggled to stay focused on the dragon before her, willing herself to give Spike the utmost courtesy she could. It was difficult with her marehood going unsatisfied.

“It’s difficult to say, I know I did this before, but this time I think I’m old enough.”

_He…he is. What am I going to say?_ Rarity’s eyes deflected from him in that moment, ashamed that she hadn’t come to a firm conclusion about her feelings. _This…this isn’t love…it’s just…lust, yearning._

“I’ve been looking for my dragon roots again. I know what happened last time, but I thought…maybe now that I’m older I’d be able to manage.”

_What?_ Rarity looked back up in shock at the dragon, finding him stern in expression. Not a smile, not a frown, just waiting for a response. She simply gawked at him; perhaps for a full minute before finding her voice once more. “Why, Spike, I…I’m surprised. I thought you said you wouldn’t look again after your encounter with those _ruffians_.” She huffed indignantly as the vision of those bully teenage dragons returned to her, the fear of answering that troubling question dissipating for now.

He was struggling to stay tall, she could see, but Spike still managed to look Rarity in the eyes when he replied to her concerns. “I know…just…call it instinct…I have to know who my family is.” The purple dragon recoiled, seeming to have been struck. He placed a clawed hand to his chest. “…I mean, I know Twilight raised me and took care of me, and you guys did too. I just have to try and find them.”

“Well, I’m flattered that you would come to me and me alone,” Rarity said, and she really meant it. _How can he still seek my help after…?_ Her face became flushed, realising how much trust and affection he still had toward her. “But why would you wish for me to know this?”

“Well, I…I couldn’t tell Twilight. But I just wanted to let you know what I was doing…before I left.”

Rarity was speechless. She hadn’t expected this. She was expecting him to ask her whether she liked him or not, but this. _I’m still unsure of what I would say if he did ask me. He’s changed so much._ The seamstress frowned. _If he thinks I will stay behind and be the one who tells our friends what is going on…_ She swallowed hard. _I refuse to be left behind again._ “I cannot be your pillar of strength, Spike. I cannot stay here and suffer with these thoughts again.”

Spike flinched at what the unicorn thought was realisation. Realisation of what he was doing to her a second time. He had thought practically every bit of this through, she had no doubt, but not this. She breathed in gently and exhaled, staying calm.

“Rarity…I…I didn’t think…” He turned his head, clenching his teeth tightly. Rarity’s breath caught. _He’s taking this out on himself._ She stared at the floor of her shop and closed her eyes. _Claws, fangs, tail…is it worth it?_ Rarity’s eyes shot open. She stepped out of her seat at the table and over to the dragon, her friend still tensed in anger toward himself.

“I want to join you.”

Spike turned to the unicorn, his large, leathery wings flexed slightly by his sides. “What? W-why?”

Rarity stifled a chuckle. “Somepony has to make sure you don’t do something silly.” She patted him on the arm. “You came to me and me alone. Do you think I would let you go on your own? Not this time, Spike. It’s too dangerous.”

“But-but what about traveling? You don’t have wings.”

“Details. I’m sure we will be able to work something out. If you plan to leave very soon, telling me on our day together no less, it falls to me to look out for you. Of course, I could always ask for Twilight’s opinion on this matter.” She turned to the side and raised an eyebrow at the eight foot-long dragon.

“Please Rarity, don’t tell her.” Spike begged, leaning down to be more level with her. His emerald eyes matched with her sapphire ones. “O-of course, I mean…I thought about it, asking Twilight. But I don’t want her thinking I was still searching after all that happened. I don’t know if she’d let me leave if she knew what I was doing.”

Rarity stifled a chuckle. _But Spike,_ she thought, _you are an adult. I do not think she would be able to stop you, even if she wanted to._ She kept that answer to herself though. “But Spike, this is Twilight we are speaking of.”

“Please, Rarity. Please don’t tell Twilight.”

Staring up at the foreign ambassador, Rarity saw the worry in those huge eyes of his as he pleaded with her. They reminded her of Sweetie Belle’s gaze whenever she wanted something or had done something wrong.

Rarity was always a sucker for those eyes. She sighed in defeat. “Alright, Spike. I promise I won’t say a word. I suppose that settles the disagreement we had about me joining you on your journey, yes?” Rarity waited, but found no further argument in Spike’s eyes or on his lips. “So if we are going to go, we must come up with a convincing reason for us to be leaving. We don’t want the girls to be suspicious, do we?”

Spike’s eyes lit up as Rarity smiled at him broadly. His own fang-toothed smile showed itself and glimmered in the light of the sun’s rays. _Pearly white…teeth._ “You mean…?”

Rarity laughed and placed a hoof on her chest, not just for emphasis, but to slow her rapidly beating heart. “But of course. If you won’t allow me to tell somepony, especially Twilight, about such an adventure, then I must be the pony to keep you out of trouble, and to do that, we need a reliable story for the both of us to be leaving.”

The purple dragon looked stunned, astonished, to hear her agree. He just sat there in the boutique with a wide grin on his face. Seeing Spike in such an elated mood, all due to her simple understanding and agreement, she felt warmth spreading outward in a way not wholly unpleasant to the unicorn.

“ _Spike_ ,” Rarity spoke, reaching out and tapping Spike lightly on the arm to snap him out of his trance. “Don’t be staring off into space…or _other things_.” At that she winked, causing Spike’s cheeks to redden in the cutest way that she could imagine. “We still have the matter of an excuse to come up with.”

“Uh, right, sorry,” he said.

 “Now then, come along, Spike.” She turned and made her way to the front of the house, walking a little more quickly than she would have liked. “We should discuss this upstairs.” _Can I not keep myself from saying these things? He’s a dragon for pony’s sake._

“Why can’t we talk down here?”

Rarity looked back at Spike, hearing the anxiety in his voice as he spoke. She stood at the base of the staircase, hoof raised to the second step. “We may need to write some things down. I have papers up in my work room, but we may as well remain up there, don’t you think?”

“…I can’t.”

“Why ever not?” She tilted her head, wondering what could be the problem. Rarity turned to face him. Spike looked like he had the night of the party, before they had talked, head dipped in silence. He averted his gaze from Rarity.

“I won’t fit…” he replied sullenly. “I won’t fit through the doorway. I have had to stay out of Twilight’s room and the twin’s room at Sugarcube Corner too.”

“Spike, don’t be silly,” Rarity said with a reassuring smile as she ascended to the upper floor. “Of course you’ll fit.”

“I don’t think-”

“Spike…trust me.” Standing at the top of the steps, Rarity held a hoof out. He stared at her, eyebrows raised in worry. Spike took a hesitant step forward, and then half the way up the stairs. Rarity noticed his expression change from anxiety to slight confusion. He glanced down at his arms and then back up at her, looking bewildered.

At the door to her workroom, she motioned for Spike to follow once more. Rarity gave him as bright a smile as she could manage. That seemed to usher him on, as he made his way up the rest of the lavender furnished stairs, before the dragon ambassador stopped at the doorway. Rarity sat and waited patiently for him to join her. Spike closed his eyes and winced as he walked forward, but nothing hit him, not even a brush or swipe of his scales. He opened his eyes once he was through, looking straight at Rarity.

He turned his head back to the room’s entrance. “How? I-I thought…”

Rarity kept that smile directed at him. “You must have convinced yourself in Canterlot that you were too big to fit through these doors.”

“I was so sure. Canterlot has larger door frames than Ponyville, but…at Pinkie’s party. That door was wider too.”

Rarity lightly shook her head. “That door is the same size as all the rest. You must have been distracted by something.”

Spike shrunk back, as if remembering something from a few days ago. “…yeah. Something.”

Rarity tilted her head, but chose not to question him on what he must be thinking of. “It isn’t unheard of to make that mistake, especially after making such a transformation as you have done.” The seamstress walked over and lifted Spike’s chin up. “You’re not as big as you thought you were, it seems. You are about the same width as I, maybe a tad more with the added muscle you have. You aren’t so big as to not be able to help me with sewing anymore either.”

He smiled warmly, simply. “Thank you, Rarity.”

“Not at all. It was my pleasure.” She turned away from him, feeling good to have helped such a noble and caring creature to overcome his own anxieties. Her horn lit up as she magicked a quill, ink and some parchment over to her from her desk. Rarity sat down near the center of the room, with Spike sitting near her comfortably. “Now, what could be a valid excuse for the two of us to be leaving?”

Spike scratched at the scales on his head and scrunched his face up in concentration. Rarity smiled at her friend’s thoughtful pose, looking much the same as he did years ago. She was twirling the quill in her magic as an idea came to mind suddenly. She jumped up in triumph.

“Aha! _I have it!_ ” The quill began to scroll along the parchment, jotting down notes that the fashionista had come up with. The more she wrote, the more ideas began to flow in Rarity’s mind.

“Really? Awesome! What is it?” asked Spike.

“You were telling me about one of your many travels to far off lands…and we started on a topic of rare materials for dresses and accessories. Now _,_ one such fabric, which I have been searching for _forever_ , is at the marketplace of the Griffin Kingdom. That’s my side of the story, now for _you_ , it has been known for _quite some time_ that those areas surrounding the kingdom have been _full_ of untapped gems. I am sure you should want a few of those delightful jewels for your collection, _hmm_?”

Spike stared wide-eyed at the white unicorn, either awestruck by her imaginative tale or some other reason Rarity was simply trying not to entertain. _His eyes are such a delightful shade of green, like huge shimmering emeralds._ She blinked and focused back on the task at hoof. “Well, Spike? What do you think?”

He shook his head, snapping out of the daze he was in. “Wow! That’s amazing! Did you just come up with that now?”

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh, you flatterer; I did indeed come up with that excuse now. However, I have actually known for quite a long time that the Griffin Kingdom has several rare items I should like to possess. As for the gem collecting, they do not have the magic to locate such things and I am _sure_ you would like them for your…hoard…was it? I still recall that barbaric ‘King of the Hoard’ game you played with those _dragons_.”

“That’s true,” Spike said, placing his claws to his chin. “I have been working on that actually, though it’s back in Canterlot at the moment. I like the excuse though. Easy to remember and it makes sense for the both of us to want to go.”

“Well, just in case one of us does forget, I have it written down. I suppose now is as good a time as any to let our friends know.” Hearing herself utter those words, her expression drooped a little. _I will likely be away for quite some time._

“You don’t have to do this,” said Spike, sitting beside her. “I can go by myself and-”

“ _Spike_. I’m coming with you.” He swallowed, and Rarity smirked at him. “Now, if we are to be fastest at telling each of our friends what we are planning, we must divide up the work. If you were to tell Fluttershy and Applejack, then I can tell Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. After that, we can tell Twilight together.” She could see the apprehension on his face over being tasked with explaining the situation to Twilight, but Rarity saying that she would be there seemed to calm him down enough.

“I’ve been planning for this day for a long time, and I knew it would be difficult to explain…but I still need to do it. I don’t know how long we’ll be away, but I’m glad I’m not going alone this time.” Rarity smiled sweetly at the dragon as he locked eyes with her. She placed the parchment, quill and ink back on her counter, making her way out of her work room and down the staircase. The fashionista enveloped the front door in her magic and swung the door ajar, staring back at Spike.

“Shall we?”


	12. Chapter 12

Spike

Spike sat patiently at the train station. His saddlebag, which was white with a little bit of red at the edges, was strapped to his stomach comfortably. The sky was already clouded over, covering every inch in grey colours. If he knew any type of cloud, it was a cumulonimbus formation. _Rain must have been scheduled for today._

He had been waiting for a few moments for his friends to arrive, thinking about how this trip would turn out. He hadn’t expected this turn of events, not by a long shot. It was hard for Spike to tell if he should be happy, or scared. _I still can’t believe she wanted to come along_. He smiled fondly at all that had happened these past few days. _I wanted to ask her, but this popped out instead. I don’t want to ask her how she feels until I have a better idea of how she thinks of me._ His smile brightened a little. _Maybe I’ll be able to find out today._

With that idea in mind, Spike flicked his tail back and forth along the floorboards of the platform. It was early in the morning, the day after his lunch with the violet-maned unicorn. Rarity herself showed up shortly after, smiling softly at the dragon. A seemingly empty saddlebag adorned her back as she trotted along the platform. She took a seat next to Spike and sighed deeply.

“What’s the matter?” asked Spike, with a look of concern crossing his face.

Rarity shook her head silently, eyes focused on her hooves. “It’s alright. I’ll manage.”

Spike’s eyebrows furrowed. He turned his body to face her and inched closer. “Rarity? What’s wrong?”

The fashionista looked up at him with an expression he couldn’t quite put his claw on and chuckled lightly. She stared at her hooves once more. “It’s silly…but…it feels odd, not having my usual luggage with me.” Rarity grinned at him. “I feel like I’m missing something.” At that point, Spike took notice that she was once again wearing the fire-ruby he had given her years prior.

“Why didn’t you bring them then?”

“Because,” she said timidly. Rarity opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again. To the dragon, it looked like she was struggling to prevent herself from breaking into tears. She breathed in deeply, and closed her eyes as she exhaled. _One of her techniques for calming herself down when she’s stressing about something,_ Spike thought, swallowing hard. “Somepony would have to carry it.” Rarity stated simply, after a few moments of silence.

_Oh._ “You mean…me?” A nod was her answer. Spike rested a claw on Rarity’s hoof. “I don’t mind. Really.” The fashionista jerked her hoof out from under his grasp suddenly. Panic was in her sapphire eyes, as she stared from her hoof to his own eyes. Spike flinched, his arm left forgotten on the floor as he stared at Rarity.

She must have seen the pained look in his eyes. She bit her lip, and with a little hesitation, Rarity grabbed Spike’s clawed hand in both hooves. He found the sudden motion confusing, but Spike lost himself in her now determined gaze. She lifted his claw up and breathed deeply, her lower lip trembling. “Spike,” she began. “I don’t want you doing things for me anymore. Not like that. It isn’t right.”

He blinked, and stammered. “But-but-”

“It was wrong of me to ask it of you when you were little. I realise that, and it’s still wrong now. I know I should have realised it sooner.” She swallowed. “It took you leaving…for four long years, for me to understand…”

“Rarity-I…” He reached out with his free claw, but drew back. He didn’t want to see Rarity recoil from his touch again. She didn’t seem to notice, or if she did, she didn’t show any concern toward his other claw. Rarity kept her gorgeous eyes meticulously placed on his, locking him in place.

“Please, Spike. You’re my friend…and I don’t ask my friends to do things like that. Even if you are,” she coughed, quickly glancing down at his chest, “stronger now.”

Spike felt his face heat up a little, but only hesitated for a moment. “Alright. Whatever you say.”

The seamstress’ smile then spread across her face. She turned her head away, releasing his hand, but Spike thought he saw some tears forming at the edges of Rarity’s eyes as she turned. Before he could ask her if anything was wrong, Rarity waved a hoof in his direction. “I’m fine,” she reassured, though the dragon ambassador could hear her sniffling.

He smiled despite himself. _You’re about as terrible a liar as I am._ Spike thought about saying that aloud, but ultimately decided against it. Instead, he turned away and looked off into the distance, glancing her way now and again to see if she had recovered. It wasn’t out of sadness that those tears were shed, if Spike remembered anything from spending so much time with her years back. He probably knew more about her than she did, those tears forming from some gladness Rarity felt. Maybe it was because of what he said, but Spike couldn’t be sure and he didn’t want to postulate.

“Sorry,” Rarity apologised, after a few moments of silence. “The girls should be here shortly. Are you excited to start on this little adventure of ours?”

“I’m a little nervous to be honest.” Spike chuckled and scratched at his spines. “How about you?”

The seamstress tittered beside him. “There’s no need to be nervous,” she said, reaching over and rubbing her hoof along Spike’s arm. He could feel that same cool touch he’d felt at the party, when the two had danced. His body was at a warmer temperature than most other creatures, so occasionally Spike enjoyed a cold feeling on his skin, especially if it was Rarity’s soft white fur. “I myself am quite eager to start this quest. It will be nice to go out and explore the more unknown areas of the world. I was beginning to think I wouldn’t be able to see much outside of Equestria.”

_You wanted to travel all this time?_ She was still stroking his arm, though now the dragon suspected that Rarity was doing it without really knowing she was. Her sapphire eyes held a somewhat wistful texture to them, as Spike looked down at her. “W-well, I’m happy to be giving you this opportunity to see what I do.” That brought a tender smile to her lips, as she focused back on him.

“Oh, you’re such a sweet heart.” Rarity took her hoof from his arm and placed it on her chest lightly. “Speaking of trips, you simply must tell me about where you went and what you saw after all these years.”

Spike managed to chuckle at the unicorn’s proposal and nodded pleasantly. “Sure, and you can tell me about how your business has been and what you and the others have done.”

“Well, it’s really much the same as always. What you saw yesterday is about all I have been doing. I’m positive that your ventures are far more interesting.” She waved a dismissive hoof like she always did at such comments. Spike knew that was just a show to receive a compliment, usually for the stallions she dated, but this time it seemed like she really meant it. He wasn’t about to let that slip.

“Hello you two!” cried Pinkie Pie, interrupting the eight foot-long dragon’s thoughts as she bounded along the streets. Applejack trotted a few feet back from her, grinning when she met Spike’s eyes.

“Howdy Rarity!” she called as she ascended the ramp to the platform. “Hey Spike! You two are sure up early.”

Spike scratched the back of his neck. He chortled. “Yeah, I was so excited I couldn’t fall asleep last night.”

Rarity turned to him in mild alarm. “Really, darling? That’s unfortunate. Though I suppose I can understand. It’s quite a long way to the Griffin Empire by train. It should be an entire three days before we’re there, with only two stop overs at Manehattan and Trottingham along the way. I will be sure that you have plenty of sleep on this ride.”

Pinkie Pie bounced around the two sporadically, grinning from ear to ear. “ _I_ can sure understand why you couldn’t sleep. I’m creating a new type of icing with all of my favourite flavours in it. Raspberry, strawberry, wildberry, cherry, blueberry, blackberry and tons of others all on top of velvet cupcakes. I call it the Berry Blaster Overload. I was so excited last night I barely had a wink of sleep, can ya tell?”

Pinkie had once again placed herself into Applejack’s personal space, and Spike stifled a laugh as he saw the poor mare blink in discomfort. “Well, ah can see why ya call it an overload,” replied Applejack, chortling awkwardly as she stepped away from the pink pony. “Where’s everypony else?”

“They have yet to arrive, I’m afraid.” Rarity sighed. “I hope they are here soon. The train will be here shortly and I would hate to have to leave without saying a proper goodbye.”

_Twilight, where are you?_ he wondered. When Spike and Rarity had told the purple alicorn about their trip yesterday, she didn’t seem upset. In fact, she looked happy for the two. Having left the Golden Oaks library early the next day though, Spike hadn’t seen Twilight wake up. At least he knew that she had actually gone to bed, and not stayed up all night agonising about what could happen to him, sifting through her books for any important details that he should know about griffins.

“I’m sure they’ll be here before you leave,” Pinkie reassured.

Even with those words of comfort, Spike couldn’t shake the guilt that he was now feeling. He had begun to fret over this once he thought of a valid reason for her not to show up. _After four years of being away, I leave again in five days. I…I’m lying to her and-_

He felt a hoof on his arm. Rarity smiled up at him, her eyebrows knitted with concern. Spike nodded gently at the white unicorn, who seemed to understand his tension. To the dragon, it felt like she knew exactly when he was troubled and identified the best way to cheer him up each time.

“Oh, I hope we’re not too late!” cried a soft voice that the dragon instantly recognised. Spike turned his head to the left to see Fluttershy flying toward them, with Rainbow Dash soaring beside her easily.

“I’m sure they’re fine,” said Rainbow Dash, waving off her friend’s concerns. “Plus, if you hadn’t taken so much time talking to your animals, you wouldn’t need to be all worried.” The two pegasi landed swiftly on the train station platform and smiled at the assembled group.

“B-but I’m not usually up this early,” Fluttershy mumbled, shifting her wings uncomfortably. “My little friends were so upset, and I couldn’t leave them alone like that without explaining.”

Rainbow Dash groaned. “They looked fine to me.”

“I’m sure they were very happy that you took the time to explain,” Rarity said, trotting over to the yellow pony, “but by now I’m sure your little friends trust you to be back for them.”

Fluttershy smiled softly at Rarity’s words. “I…suppose you’re right.”

“Have either of you seen Twilight?” asked Applejack, shifting the Stetson on her head.

The cerulean pegasus shook her head and shrugged. “Nope. She is coming though, right?”

“Well, yesterday when Rarity and I told her about the trip, she looked happy. I was up quite early and left before she woke up. I hope she’s not mad at me.” His breath caught in his throat, having voiced his thoughts aloud without meaning to.

“Mad at you for what?” a voice called from in front of the group. Spike lifted his head up to peer over the other ponies gathered round him. He saw Twilight trot up the ramp and look to her friends worriedly. “What’s wrong, Spike?”

The dragon ambassador swallowed, all eyes turning to face him. “I was just worried that you were upset…because I’m leaving again so soon.”

Twilight smiled at him and sauntered over to give Spike a hug. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash parted to allow her to pass. “I’m not upset, alright? You’re a grown dragon, and you can make your own decisions. You can always come back, right?”

“Yeah…” Spike grinned back. “You’re right, Twilight.”

“Hey, speaking of the trip, you don’t have all your suitcases, Rarity. Did you forget them back at the boutique?” Pinkie Pie tilted her head quizzically, as she bounced lightly on the floorboards.

“Oh, well, no dear. I didn’t forget them.” Now everypony’s eyes were on the seamstress, and Spike could see a few beads of sweat forming on Rarity’s face. She shifted the saddlebag around on her back a little. “I thought it would be better if I didn’t bring them this time, because I’ve never been to the Griffin Empire before. There should be many outfits I don’t have. I will likely return with several new ensembles and fabrics and accessories, and I won’t be able to carry all of that back here on my own.”

The five other ponies glanced at each other for a moment and stared back at Rarity. “Well, I suppose that makes sense.” Twilight admitted. “It’s a bit odd though. You usually just have Spike carry everything.”

“Yeah, what makes this time so different?” asked Rainbow Dash, crossing her hooves as she flew above the others.

Rarity scoffed and sat back down at his side. “Because Spike came back to Ponyville for a vacation _from_ heavy lifting and work. I would be taking away the time he has to himself if I should do that. I can appreciate how he would feel to have his relaxation time cut short. I know it has happened to me on occasion.”

“Ah hear ya, Rarity. Ah don’t take much time off myself, but I wouldn’t like to be disturbed from a holiday.” Rainbow Dash scoffed. Applejack glared at the pegasus, clenching her jaw. “And I’m sure miss lazy bones over there can understand as well.”

The cerulean mare laughed. “Are you kidding? I don’t have time to be lazy anymore. I’m training all of Ponyville’s pegasi to be as good as the Wonderbolts. They have to be ready for the next Equestria games after all. I’m pushing my luck being here for this long as it is, using up time.”

“Here’s the train,” whispered Fluttershy, pointing behind Spike. Sure enough the Ponyville Express was visible on the horizon, as the dragon ambassador turned to face northward. Within a few moments, the train halted at the station, and ponies poured out of the cars.

Spike turned to Rarity and stood up, offering a claw to help the mare to her hooves. She accepted with a curt nod and placed a hoof in his hand. The two smiled at their friends and hugged each of them in turn, saying their goodbyes and wishing each other a good few weeks.

Rarity bowed her head when all was said and done. “I am not sure when we will be back, but we will stay in touch, alright?” The ponies nodded, light smiles spreading across their faces.

“Do you have the tickets?” Twilight asked.

“Have a good trip you two!” screamed Pinkie from beside the lavender alicorn.

Rarity levitated the two tickets out of her saddlebags and presented them before her friends. “Right here. I bought them just yesterday, after I spoke with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. I was just too anxious and I figured I had the time. And of course, there’s always the possibility of all of the rooms being sold out on the train if I went later. I couldn’t take that chance.”

“Well, Spike, have a good time. Don’t let Rarity boss ya around too much, ya here?” Applejack winked.

The violet-maned unicorn narrowed her eyes at the orange mare and stared at Spike sternly. One of her eyebrows rose as if to demand a response from him. Spike blinked and shifted uncomfortably under Rarity’s gaze, but then he noticed the smile easing onto her face. He smirked at the pony, and after a few seconds the two descended into a fit of laughter.

It had been quite a few years before he understood that Rarity put on a show like that just for a laugh. Her humour was subtle, and it took a few moments to truly appreciate what had happened or what had been said, unless the pony or dragon knew that her melodramatics were just an act. He wasn’t sure if others noticed it or thought she was being serious, but luckily Spike hadn’t forgotten that little detail.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, Applejack,” replied Spike. He smiled at Rarity and took a few steps toward the train. “I guess we should board the train before it leaves us behind.”

“Wait!” cried a few small voices behind them. The purple dragon spun around to see Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo, Pound, Pumpkin and Mr. and Mrs. Cake running up the ramp of the station.

“We wanted to say goodbye,” said Sweetie Belle, catching her breath.

Rarity trotted over and draped a hoof over her sister’s back. “Darling, you already said goodbye back at the house.”

“W-well, I wanted to say goodbye again…and I didn’t get a chance to say bye to Spike.”

“Bye, Spike,” intoned both Scootaloo and Applebloom, as they hugged the dragon. He pulled them close and wished them luck on training the little foals of Ponyville. Pound and Pumpkin jumped at Spike just after the two released him. He chuckled as they squeezed his chest tightly and blushed as his friends watched the spectacle. He heard Mr. and Mrs. Cake sigh softly at the show, and the parents gave Rarity a hug goodbye as well.

“Be safe dear, and have a great time,” Mrs. Cake said.

“You too, Spike. Take care.” Mr. Cake smiled as he rubbed Pound’s head gently. “I’ll have a sapphire cupcake waiting for you when you return.”

“I’m going to miss you, sister,” whispered Sweetie Belle. She rested her head on Rarity’s shoulder and wrapped her hooves around her neck.

“Oh, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity pulled the smaller unicorn into the embrace further, closing her eyes. The twins trotted up and joined the two mares in their hug, Rarity wrapping her hoof around Pumpkin’s neck loosely. “I’ll miss all of you.”

Spike felt a twang of guilt hit him hard in the chest. _This might be harder on her than staying behind was._ He bit his lip, but blinked his eyes as the fashionista looked over to him. She seemed to recognise his silence, though Spike couldn’t say if she actually knew what he had been thinking.

“Well then,” she exclaimed, releasing the three ponies from her tender grasp. She trotted over to Spike and beamed up at him. “I suppose it is time we left, is it not?” The dragon ambassador swallowed and nodded his silent reply.

The gathered crowd of friends shouted their goodbyes as the two entered the train, Spike gesturing for Rarity to enter first. Her face flushed a light pink as she nodded and trotted in. Smoke billowed out over the engine and shrouded the station in a fog for a moment. The horn went out for the last call of departure, the conductor walking along the floorboards.

Spike thought he caught the pony eying him restlessly, keeping a good distance away from the dragon as he passed. The ambassador felt another hoof on his shoulder. He turned and saw Twilight smiling at him. Sharing one last hug from his mother, he stepped onto the train and joined Rarity in their cabin. The train rolled to life as the shouting died down. He found himself sitting across from the white pony, peering out the window and waving at their friends.

As Spike watched the group shrink in the distance, he allowed himself to breathe. He sat back in his seat across from Rarity and flicked his tail back and forth. It was difficult with such a compact space, but it was much more spacious than when he had come down. Rarity had insisted on buying the best seats in the car, to allow Spike more room. To his chagrin, she had been serious.

“You really didn’t have to do this,” said Spike, glancing over at the beautiful mare.

“It’s fine dear, we already went over this. I wanted to come along with you. I must.”

Spike shook his head. “No, no, not that. I meant…you didn’t have to buy these expensive tickets by yourself. I have money from being the princess’ foreign ambassador.”

Rarity tittered as she gestured with a fore hoof. “Nonsense Spike, I am happy to do it. Besides, it’s better for you this way.”

“You really didn’t need to-”

“Spike,” Rarity interrupted sternly. “You shouldn’t think that you don’t deserve some indulging. I _wanted_ to do this for you and you _do_ deserve it, _Spikey-Wikey_.” The dragon’s cheeks flared as he heard her nickname for him. He also thought he saw something different in her eyes. A sort of sparkle in those sapphire spheres of hers, along with an expression he hadn’t seen from her in years.

Spike gulped. _Not since I saw her on her last date, that is._ “Thank you, Rarity,” he said. Her smile grew as she watched some foals running back and forth through the train car. Rarity looked back at the dragon, and after a few moments of staring, she stood up and sauntered over to sit next to Spike. As she walked, her violet-hued tail swished back and forth gently, holding his attention on her.

“Well, we’re here. What shall we talk about?”


	13. Chapter 13

Spike

“All aboard! Next stop over: Manehattan!”

The conductor walked along the train car, asking for tickets and checking on the ponies that bought them. Rarity glared at the stallion when he recoiled, seeing Spike in one of the seats. The dragon turned away and stared out of the window, feeling his heart in his throat.

He felt Rarity’s hoof on his claw after a few minutes, as the conductor left. She had lectured the pony on showing some manners when addressing her friend, but Spike tried not to listen. Once again she sat opposite the dragon, having moved back after her little talk. “Spike?” she said. “Dear, are you alright?”

Spike shifted his gaze from the isle of the car to lock eyes with Rarity. Ponies all round him were conversing loudly, speaking about where they were going and what they would do once they arrived. Some were running around with their children, attempting to control their foals, most likely out of fear that they would disturb the other passengers or trip and fall along the isles, injuring themselves.

“I’m fine,” muttered the ambassador after a pause. “I’m used to it.”

His reassuring words didn’t seem to convince Rarity. She frowned, not removing her hoof. “Your expression doesn’t give the impression that you’re used to it. And how could you be?”

Spike shrugged, his shoulders feeling unusually heavy, trying to sound nonchalant about it. “I-I’ve accepted it is all. I mean, I’m…I’m not that…friendly looking anymore.”

“Nonsense, you’re still Spike.”

“Yeah. Spike the grown-up, sharp teeth and claws dragon.” He chuckled, finding no real humour in his reply. He glanced out of the window once more, trying not to see the fashionista’s reaction to his comment. His hand stayed in place, happy under Rarity’s hoof as he went on. “I know how ponies like that see me. They take one look at me and think that I’m dangerous.” Spike turned back to look the seamstress in the eyes. “I suppose I could be.”

Rarity answered with a gentle smile. He loved that smile. “My dear Spike, we all have the capacity to do bad things, but I know you would never harm anypony on purpose. You are one of my closest friends, and I would never dream of changing that.”

“Really?” he asked, staring into those twinkling eyes of hers. They glinted with tears and sincerity.

She nodded. “Really.”

He felt elated suddenly, like those last five minutes hadn’t mattered. Except for her being there talking to him, the bits in between never even happened. Spike smiled back at her, a real, genuine grin. Rarity nodded again, and removed her hoof from his clawed hand. Her words tumbled into his mind. _“I would never dream of changing that.”_

She turned her head to peer out of the windows at the lands that they were leaving behind, seeming to miss the dragon’s change in composure. The realisation hit Spike immediately, like a punch to the gut. _“…friends…”_ He followed Rarity’s gaze out of the window in silence, trying not to think.

Ponyville was a little speck in the distance now, but Spike knew that it was a long way from Ponyville to Manehattan. They would have to spend the night on the train. Normally he wouldn’t have had any problem with sleeping on the train with her, because the others would be with them. This reminded him of the time that they had traveled to Appleloosa, when he was ten, but this time it was just him and Rarity.

Nervously, he tried to distract himself from the heat that he was rapidly feeling in his cheeks. Spike found himself admiring the craftsponyship of the train interior. It appeared to be so much different from the area he had been in on his way down. This was the luxury car, placed in the middle of the car line. Where he had been so cramped in the other cabin that he could barely move his tail, the purple dragon was able to freely move his tail whichever way he desired.

The carpet was velvet, instead of the beige he had taken to staring at on his last trip. The seats were made from ebony and on top was a fluffy, deep amaranth cushion. He had looked into their bed room earlier, and had been impressed with the comfy mattress and blankets provided. On his last trip from Canterlot it hadn’t been necessary for him to need a bed, but he recalled sleeping in one on his trip to the colony in buffalo territory six years ago. Along the walls hung little lanterns that Spike had assumed could be taken down and lit to find a bathroom or a place to collect one’s self late at night.

“Spike,” Rarity whispered, making the dragon turn to face her. She was still staring out the window, but now had a look of reminiscence in her sapphire eyes. “It’s raining.”

The dignitary followed her gaze and found that she was correct. It was quite a downpour, the clouds shrouding the sky in a dark grey haze. The train sped along at a steady pace, causing the rain droplets to flow almost horizontally passed the windows.

“I have always loved watching the rain fall, no matter when it should occur.” She spoke wistfully, as if to herself. Spike tilted his head in recognition, in the hopes that she would continue. “It’s odd I know, for a mare such as myself to enjoy the rain, but it’s just so calming. I know some ponies say that they think it’s such a dreary day out when it’s raining; however, for me it’s as if…how should I put this?”

Rarity brought her head to face Spike and held her hoof up to her chin in thought. “I feel as though the clouds are sharing in my sadness and happiness, as well as the tears that we shed, whether good or bad. Taking away some of the weight that always seems to be upon us; like the rain itself has those feelings. It’s rather silly, I know.”

“I don’t think that’s silly.” His mouth moved so effortlessly it felt like those words had already been out for her to hear. Spike knew it was all over his face, as he stared at her.

The white pony flicked a strand of violet hair out of her eyes, smiling bashfully. “Y-yes…you’re kind to say, Spike. I think…I think I find it uplifting in a way, as though I know I’m not alone when I feel upset. It reminds me that I have good friends to lean on, when I am in need of such comforts.”

“I had no idea. You’re truly an amazing pony, Rarity,” Spike replied, feeling his heart rate increase once he realised what he had said. Rarity herself turned a bright red at the compliment, obviously taken off guard by his response. She turned away, trying to distract herself with fixing her mane. Nervous giggles escaped Rarity’s lips as she looked anywhere except the dragon ambassador.

He always loved her laugh, and seeing her so flustered because of what he had said just made her look even more beautiful. Spike stared out of the window after a moment, trying to appreciate the rain in the way that the seamstress had just confided to him.

Peering outside, Spike caught glimpses of mountains looming off to the west. He knew them as the Dragon Spire mountain range; some of the tallest peaks in Equestria were counted among those crags. The tallest of those cliffs, of course, was Mount Dragon Spire itself, having the rest of the line of mountains named in its honour. He flew over it many a time throughout his travels, and he remembered that it had been a unicorn by the name of Cepheus Spirit, a notable explorer and climber, who had first reached the peak of that great mountain.

He recalled an interesting adventure he’d had that involved him flying over that very peak.

“Rarity, look,” said Spike, nodding slightly to the distant massifs. He saw out of the corner of his eye that she glanced at him briefly, before following his gaze out of the window. “That is the Dragon Spire mountain range. I’ve flown over those several times during my travels west. It’s truly a sight to see from the air.”

“It looks beautiful.”

“Yeah. It reminds me of the last mission I went on. We’ll actually be going in that direction when we reach Manehattan.”

“What were you sent there to do?”

The dragon chuckled. “Well, it was much less of an enjoyable journey than flying over those mountains. Princess Celestia told me about how the Republic of Girania was around for many hundreds of years, being quite a prosperous nation, but had been having problems with keeping the senate together. To those neighbouring the republic, and even to some within it, there seemed to be powerful families in the senate that were betraying lesser families for their own gain. The nation had grown much in the last few years and the republic found it difficult to keep all of the family seats at an even level of influence. I was sent to see if anything could be done to strengthen the relationship between Equestria and Girania and work out what was going on.”

“The Pardalis family had one of the most powerful seats in the senate. It had the most influence as to what laws were passed and what positions each republican magistrate was given. For instance, a praetor administrates civil law and controls provincial armies and a censor could admit citizens into the senate or expunge those in it. Consuls have the most power of these magistrates. They have supreme power in civil and military matters, though each of those elected only served for a pre-determined amount of time.”

The unicorn nodded her understanding and raised a hoof. “And I’m guessing that this Pardalis family was influencing these elections?”

Spike nodded. “I didn’t know it at the time though. As soon as I was admitted into the capital city, I was imprisoned. Senator Pardalis accused me of conspiring to supplant the republic and enlist a new state of government under Equestrian rule.”

Rarity gasped and held a hoof up to her mouth. “What did you do?”

“What could I do? If under the circumstances of being accused of such a thing, my diplomatic status was overlooked. I went along with them. In court I pleaded not guilty, saying that there was no evidence proving one way or the other. I said that I would find who was actually attempting to break the senate and the republic apart. Princess Celestia sent me a message after learning of this, saying that some giraffe families were still loyal to Equestria and to Girania. Those that hadn’t been influenced by whoever was trying to establish a new government said that they would help me clear my name.”

“In court, Senator Pardalis had accused me of making some influential family leaders disappear right before I arrived. But no concrete proof could be found that I was responsible, so I was allowed to search for a real answer. Through those loyal to the republic, we found evidence that pointed directly to the Pardalis family. Either through fear or bribery, many of the other families were told to follow the decisions of the senator. Consuls, praetors, censors, the most influential magistrates in the republic, they were always elected to office through his conspiring. Those who he couldn’t control, he had disappear.”

“One of the other families found out where the other senators had been removed to. I went to free them and they said that Senator Pardalis used his influence to dispose of those who would oppose him. Whichever censor was in office at the time was told to elect a giraffe picked by Pardalis himself; one that would follow his orders. Seeing how a republic had failed to control such a growing nation, Pardalis would move to dissolve the senate and the republic and instate a new government that put him in control of the economy and the military.”

“A dictatorship,” Rarity concluded.

Once again, Spike nodded grimly. “The court found the senator guilty of high treason and revoked his family’s seat. They reinstated those that Pardalis had removed and I was found innocent of all accusations. All of those in the senate thanked Princess Celestia and I greatly for our aid. After all that had happened, a new trade route between us was established to improve relations further.”

“Terrific darling. I’m truly impressed with how you handled that complicated situation. You’re certainly not the same little dragon I remember.”

Spike waved a claw in dismissal, feeling blood rush to his cheeks. “Aww, I didn’t do anything. The republic had more strength than Senator Pardalis thought. The other senate members saved me from being accused of what he did.”

Rarity leaned in, eyes locked on him sternly. “Nonsense dear. You helped those giraffes greatly. If you hadn’t been present, they might not be a republic anymore. Princess Celestia thinks that you are dependable; otherwise she wouldn’t have made you a foreign ambassador at all. I for one think you do a splendid job. I don’t want to hear you doubting yourself anymore, alright?”

Spike blinked in surprise at her response. He nodded at Rarity, feeling a grin forming on his face. The unicorn smiled in return and the two sat in relative silence for a few moments. Spike took to glancing around at the other passengers around him. The car certainly wasn’t as full as the one he’d taken on his trip down to Ponyville. Most ponies here were business types returning from a vacation or large families taking a special trip to celebrate something.

He heard a few conversations here and there: ponies talking about what they had seen on their travels or discussing important and interesting developments in Equestria and beyond.

“So, do you have any idea of where we might begin, Spike?” asked Rarity, interrupting his imaginings. He turned back to his friend, seated across from him.

“I did some research back in Canterlot. I asked Princess Celestia about where those dragons fly to on their annual migration.”

“And?”

“They actually fly all over. The area we went to was just one stop over. There are a few more colonies of dragons that make their own way to different islands or continents for the seasonal changes.”

Rarity raised a curious eyebrow. “Has the migration not already occurred though?”

Spike nodded gently. “Yes. They will be in their summer dwellings right now. If anything is known about dragons, it’s where to stay away from. So on the maps, it shows all of the locations of mountains and volcanoes, anywhere a dragon colony has been spotted. Though those that saw those places only ventured so close. They’ve never seen the inside of the dwelling.”

He noticed her blink in what he suspected was disbelief. Rarity leaned in slightly, sapphire eyes not leaving him for a second. “So…when we followed you to that colony of dragons…”

The purple dragon nodded gently, knowing what she was trying to point out. “You’re probably the only three ponies-three _creatures_ other than dragons to see what goes on within those places.”

Rarity looked stunned at this information, seeming to re-evaluate her first experience with a colony of dragons. She sat back in her seat, looking contemplative. “I never thought about that. I suppose I was just too worried about you being hurt to care about anything else. But now I wish I could have taken a closer look at everything there.”

Spike smiled softly at the knowledge that Rarity was worried for his safety back then. “Well, if we manage to find any dragons, I’m sure you will have another chance.”

“I’m certain that I will,” replied Rarity, focussing back on the ambassador. She raised a hoof in a questioning gesture. “You do have a map of sorts, don’t you?”

“Yes, but I’m not sure that what I have is still accurate,” said Spike. He saw the inquiring look on Rarity’s face and decided to continue. “When I asked the princess about the dragon migration, I…was a little vague on the details. I didn’t want anypony to know what I was researching. I tried to ask about small things, so she wouldn’t become suspicious and tell Twilight.

“I still think that Princess Celestia knew, but she pointed me to look at the library in the Crystal Empire. It has books there that were written more than two thousand years ago, back when relations with dragons and ponies weren’t so bad. Ponies were still not allowed into dragon lands, but they at least talked to one another. She thought that if any written information on dragons could be found, it would be there.”

Rarity’s eyes widened considerably. “That library is absolutely gigantic. So many books are stored there that I dare say even Twilight couldn’t read them all…” She paused to place a hoof to her muzzle, before looking back at Spike. “…but you must have found something.”

He lowered his head down below the seat and pulled up the saddlebags he’d brought along. Spike flipped the flap open and took out a rolled up scroll, unrolling it carefully as Rarity came to sit next to him. “I found a map of all of the known locations of dragon lands. Some of the more social dragons must have told ponies where they lived, so that they could avoid a dangerous confrontation. Some of the names of the islands they inhabited were also named in the books I found: Drokhast, Kohirene, Veidormahn. Even then, it’s still pretty vague, but we’ll be going to a place called the Scorched Lands.”

“Well, it’s a start,” Rarity smiled at Spike as she looked up from the map. “Speaking of vague…this is a little off topic, but you never did tell me about what happened with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.”

“O-oh, well I-I’m not really…”

“I thought you said it went alright.” The white unicorn tilted her head to the side, her mane following along with it gracefully. Her eyebrows knitted with worry at Spike’s discomfort. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Spike sighed and turned to face her properly. “For the most part it was okay. We had a few races, which Rainbow Dash usually won, but I could fly and run for the longest amount of time. Applejack won a few strength tests, and had the fastest time bucking apples and…well…” He felt a lump in his throat. All of the chatter going on around the ambassador seemed to stifle his breathing. He inhaled deeply and saw the patient, caring expression on Rarity’s face.

The dragon managed a smile, chuckling softly. “It’s actually kind of embarrassing. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both bucking apples pretty quickly, but I was too worried about how strong I was. I didn’t want to hurt anything. They kept saying that I should try it and that it would be alright. I suppose they stopped after a while, once they saw how upset I was, but soon all I heard in my head was them repeating what they had said. I kicked the apple tree straight out of the ground.”

Rarity muffled a gasp. “Oh my.”

Spike nodded in shame. “Applejack apologized profusely afterward, saying that she shouldn’t have pressured me into it. Rainbow Dash is still probably laughing about it. It’s my own fault anyway. I still don’t know my own strength. I’ve…never had anything to test it on.”

“It’s not your fault,” said Rarity. Her hoof was on his claw again. “It was nopony’s fault; although I might have a word with Rainbow Dash about manners when we come back. I-is the tree alright?”

Spike lowered his head, his eyes lidded and sullen. “I don’t know. I left before anything could really be said. I was just…too ashamed.”

“It was an accident,” she said, patting his claw gently as she lifted his head back up with the other hoof. “And I’m sure Applejack has the tree back in its spot safe and sound. We could go for a visit to Sweet Apple Acres when we return as well, if you like.” She smiled reassuringly at him, and Spike felt a little bit better about that day.

“Whoa, you’re a dragon aren’t you?” a colt asked from behind him.

Spike turned to face into the train car and spotted a colt in between isles, staring intently at him. “Yeah, I am.”

The pony’s smile only seemed to widen with his response. He was slightly taller than Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo, still far from fully grown, Spike imagined. He had a dark amber coat and orange coloured eyes. He was slim, and his mane was shaggy, while he seemed to hop slightly on his hooves. His mane and tail were a tangelo shade with a streak of light amber off to the side. For a cutie-mark, he had a red joystick. “Cool. I’ve never seen a dragon before, except in books and video games. You look much smaller than those dragons though.”

“Button!” called a distinct motherly voice from the other end of the train. Spike knew that tone well, from when he was living with Twilight. Sure enough, a mare with beige fur and a light brown mane and tail with ties at the ends trotted up to the smaller pony, looking upset. She had a milk bottle over top of a pink heart as her cutie-mark. Her turquoise eyes narrowed at the foal. “What are you doing? Are you bothering these two?”

The younger pony shook his head as he turned to her. “No! I’m just talking.”

“It’s okay,” Spike spoke up, sinking into his seat as he thought about what she would say in response. “I hope I didn’t worry you.”

She turned to him and the crease in her eyebrows lessened. “Well, the only thing I’m worried about is my son upsetting folk on the train. He can’t sit still for two minutes without one of his games in his hooves. I’m Linda, Button’s mom.” She placed a hoof to her chest, and smiled at Spike.

He tried to return the smile as best as he could, and shifted in his seat. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Spike, and this is Rarity.” He gestured with a claw as he turned to face Rarity, but found that she had returned to the opposite seat; most likely to see the exchange more closely.

Rarity dipped her head and grinned at the two ponies. “Charmed, dear. Where are you and your son off to, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Linda shook her head, chuckling a bit. “Not at all. We’re going on a trip to Trottingham. It will be good to be out of the house for a while…and away from the video games.”

Button turned to his mother with a glare. “Hey, I’m not that bad anymore. I even brought some playing cards for the trip.”

Linda laughed and nodded. “I suppose you’re not as glued to video games as you were. Say, speaking of cards, what do you two think of having a few games? If you’re not busy, that is.”

“Not at all,” Rarity said in reply. “In fact that sounds lovely, doesn’t it Spike?”

The ambassador nodded his head as he looked from Rarity and back to the two new ponies. “Yeah, it does. I think there’s a dining area with tables at the front of this train. How about we play there?”

“I’ll grab the cards!” Before any of them could respond, Button shot off in the direction that his mother had come from. Linda laughed again and walked to the other end of the car as Spike allowed Rarity to follow right after her. She smiled in thanks and stepped onto the floor, catching up with the beige mare easily.

As Spike caught up and kept behind the two ponies, Linda turned to face Rarity. “Lovely. So where are you two off to? I must say I didn’t expect to see a dragon and a pony traveling together, though I have seen stranger things than that.”

“I was actually wondering…” Spike spoke up, earning the attention of both mares as they halted briefly. “…you weren’t afraid of me when you first saw your son talking to me. I thought you were upset that Button was talking to a dragon.”

Linda looked surprised, her eyes widening slightly, and she quickly waved a hoof. “Oh, no! I was worried about him offending either of you. When he’s excited, Button often doesn’t think about what he’s saying. It’s happened a few times, so I just try to be careful. He’s quite nice though, once you pry him away from his games.”

The brown-maned mare laughed. “But as for being afraid of you, don’t even think twice. When I was younger I always thought dragons were misunderstood. Any creature can be nice. I once played games where dragons could be befriended and trained to fight for their world. That was when I was about the same age as Button though. It’s just a pleasure to meet one in pony-er…dragon, I suppose, in this case.”

Spike waited for Rarity and Linda to take their seats at one of the tables at the end of the car, before he took his seat next to the fashionista. Here it was quite empty, the three of them being the only passengers in this part of the car. It was quiet, being blocked off from the noise of the talking ponies by a sound-stifling spell just before the tables.

“Found it, mom!” Button shouted as he made his way through the spell’s barrier. He trotted over to sit opposite Spike at the table and began to shuffle the cards. “So, is there any game you want to play? Guests have the first choice.”

Spike smirked and looked over at Rarity. He already knew her answer. “Have you two ever played sevens?” she asked with a glint in her eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Pinkie

“I still can’t believe that happened,” Rainbow Dash said from her seat by the shore of the lake. “It was so funny!”

Pinkie Pie blinked in slight confusion from the water’s surface. She sat on a yellow duck raft, listening to her friend retell what happened at Sweet Apple Acres two days ago. “I hope the tree is okay,” she replied. “That would be a horrible surprise.”

It was a few hours after Spike and Rarity had left on the train for Manehattan, and now the two ponies were relaxing at the lake beside Ponyville. Rainbow Dash had called the Ponyville Flyer’s training session off for today, because she thought she and her students deserved a day off. That’s what Pinkie heard, from the cerulean pegasus saying how they were all slacking and that she needed a break from them.

Rainbow Dash waved a forehoof. “Nah, it’ll be fine. I helped Applejack replant it after I stopped laughing. She said it would be alright.”

“What about Spike? He must have been worried.”

“He left right after it happened.” _Poor Spike,_ Pinkie thought from her comfy spot. She dropped off from the raft and paddled it back to the shoreline. “Hey, what did you two do on your day?”

The pink pony shook off the water from the lake as she walked up on dry land, drenching Rainbow Dash in the process. She grinned back as Rainbow Dash shot her an irritated glare. “Oh, well I told you that I took him to see Pound and Pumpkin Cake. Other than that we hung out and pulled pranks all over Ponyville. You should have seen one of them. We dressed up as famous ponies from hundreds of years ago and made it seem like the street we were on was from the same time.” Pinkie sighed and giggled at the memory. “Those confused looks were hilarious. They had a good laugh when we told them what was going on and what we had done as well.”

“That…sounded like it was…fun?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow, as if she didn’t know quite how to respond to that.

Pinkie Pie giggled again and began to bounce in place. “Oh, it was. We also told everypony we could about the party that afternoon, but that was about it.”

Rainbow nodded her understanding and slouched against the seat. She sighed. “Cool. So, what do you wanna do now? We shouldn’t stay out here _all_ day.”

“Well,” started Pinkie, sitting down and placing a fore hoof under her chin. “we could see how Fluttershy’s doing. I wonder what her day was like with Spike.” _Oh, I bet he told her all sorts of stories about his assignments over tea or something. I wish I had thought of that earlier._

“That’s true.” The Ponyville Flyer’s captain nodded again, standing up from her chair to shrug. “Though they probably just had a boring tea party and talked about what they did the whole time Spike was away.”

Pinkie frowned at the pegasus, raising a hoof to emphasize her opinion. “Aw, come on Rainbow Dash. I’m sure they did something fun. I can sense it.” _I can also sense that Fluttershy still has some leftover cookies that we can eat._ She licked her lips hungrily.

The pegasus scoffed. “Yeah. Sure, Pinkie.” Pinkie Pie tilted her head slightly, seeing Rainbow roll her eyes. “Come on. We might as well. I can’t think of anything else for us to do anyway.”

“Great,” the pink mare said, brightening up significantly. “Good thing I have a shortcut.”

“Huh? Shortcut-? Whoa!” Rainbow Dash gasped as Pinkie grabbed her by her waist and popped the yellow raft with a needle. She took hold of the tail and giggled as it took the two ponies all the way to Fluttershy’s cottage by the Everfree.

As they went, Rainbow screaming incessantly all the while, Pinkie kept spotting ponies she knew walking around below them and waved to them. She knew all of them, of course, but she thought it would be rude not to say a passing hello. _Even if they can’t hear me._ She chuckled.

“Ooph!” cried the two mares as they hit the ground just before their destination.

“Woohoo! Let’s do that again!” Pinkie shouted, hopping up first.

“What the heck, Pinkie Pie?! That could have been really dangerous!” The party pony recoiled slightly at her tone and volume. But soon she was looking at a widely grinning Rainbow Dash again. “No wonder I like hanging out with you so much.” Rainbow chuckled. Pinkie grinned from ear to ear.

“Thanks. You’re fun too, Dashie!”

“Of course I am,” she scoffed, tossing her rainbow coloured mane and gesturing to herself. “I’m Rainbow Dash. But enough about me. Let’s see where Fluttershy is.”

Pinkie nodded and trotted up to the front door with the cerulean pony close behind. She knocked a few times and waited, hearing muffled voices from within. The two friends glanced at each other queerly and each placed an ear to the door to listen.

“I’m sorry Angel Bunny,” began a muffled voice beyond the wooden door, “but I only have the usual food for you. You’ll just have to eat it.” The quiet voice Pinkie recognised seemed to grow louder as she spoke. Before she could realise that the pony attached to that voice was walking closer to the door to let them in, it swung open and Pinkie found herself in the doorway underneath a sprawled out Rainbow Dash. “Oh! My goodness. Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.

Rainbow Dash groaned. “Yeah, I think so.”

“I’m okay!” yelled Pinkie Pie cheerily, bouncing up soon after the pegasus stood. “What’s going on, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy blinked timidly and turned slightly for the two friends to see. A bowl of carrots, lettuce, tomatoes and several other vegetables lay on the floor next to a very upset looking white bunny. “Oh, well, I’m feeding my animals. Angel has a bit of a temper when it comes to not having what food he wants. But after my day with Spike I felt like I should stand up for myself more. He doesn’t need to eat really elaborate meals every day.”

“Good work, Fluttershy!” cried Pinkie, swinging a hoof over the mare’s back. “I’m proud of you. I hope me and Rarity helped with that too.”

“Oh, but you did,” Fluttershy nodded in response, sidestepping out of the party mare’s hold. “I’m truly grateful for your help.”

“Speaking of hanging out with Spike,” Rainbow interrupted, “what was your day like with him?”

Pinkie watched as her friend placed a hoof over her mouth, thinking about how to answer the impatient pony’s question. Her turquois eyes sparkled for a second before she replied. “You know, it was actually kind of…exciting. We went to the Everfree Forest.”

“Really?” gasped Pinkie in awe. _I wish I had thought of that too! Oh, I never think of the coolest stuff._ She pouted.

“You?” Rainbow pointed at the mare with much more doubt in her voice than Pinkie. “Let me guess. You were the one who suggested the trip?” Fluttershy smiled uneasily, hiding behind her mane. The pink pony watched Rainbow’s mouth fall open, understanding what the yellow pegasi’s silent reaction meant. “Are you kidding?”

“W-well, I didn’t mean for him to actually say yes,” Fluttershy waved a hoof at the two friends, most likely embarrassed about the whole situation. “I just couldn’t think of anything else that we could do.”

“Wow, Fluttershy! What did you do?”

“Uh, well…do you want to come in for a snack?” she offered, stepping aside to allow her and Rainbow Dash entry. “I can make some tea and bring out some cookies while I explain.”

“Sure!” shouted Pinkie, bouncing into the cottage without a second thought on the matter. “Sounds yummy, Fluttershy.” _I knew she had some cookies left._

“Yeah, I guess.” Pinkie Pie watched as the Ponyville Flyer’s captain shrugged into the couch in the living room.

“Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash. I think this will be a good story.” Rainbow huffed indignantly. Fluttershy had left to make the tea and find the cookies, and the earth pony could hear the opening of cupboards and the boiling of water. Pinkie sat and waited on the couch next to her friend, bouncing up and down slightly as she smelled the fragrant scents coming from the kitchen. _Yum, can’t wait. Leftovers are always the tastiest, especially when the leftovers are cookies._

After a few moments the sounds ceased in the other room and the pink-maned pegasus flew out, carrying a plate of cookies and a tea pot full of hot water. “Go ahead and have a cookie. I just need to grab some cups and then I’ll pour us some tea.”

Pinkie hummed as the scent of cookies wafted passed her nose. “Smells delicious! Thanks!” She grabbed the closest cookie and quickly shoved it into her mouth.

“Your welcome, Pinkie. Rainbow Dash, would you like one?”

The flight team captain propped herself up on the couch and smiled a little. “Yeah, sure, why not? Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“No problem,” the timid pony grinned back. “I’ll be right back.” The pegasus once again flew into the kitchen, Pinkie Pie watching her leave. She tried one of her cookies and felt like she’d been hit by a flavour truck; one with chocolate chips and sprinkles and tasty multi-coloured chocolate chips packed into the back.

“Wow!” exclaimed Pinkie as she fell back in her seat. “These are super-duper tasty!”

“Oh…thank you, Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy said, returning with three cups and saucers in her hooves. She set them down and poured tea into each one. The party pony noticed how she served herself last. “It’s…it’s always nice to know that my baking is appreciated; especially from somepony like you.”

“Yeah, these are pretty good,” Rainbow Dash mumbled in between bites.

The two other mares chuckled. “So Fluttershy, how do you like the new Spike?” Pinkie blurted out. She took a sip of her tea and hummed a happy tune of approval.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh…w-well, to be honest…I was a little afraid of him at first. When he first stepped off of the Ponyville Express, I almost didn’t recognise him. Those claws and his tail too…but I told myself that he was still Spike. He would never do anything to hurt me.”

“Hey, just like Rarity,” Rainbow intoned as she took another cookie.

“Huh?” Pinkie replied, turning to face the cerulean pegasus.

She chewed the tasty treat and swallowed. “Mm. She was scared of Spike too.” Pinkie looked from Fluttershy and back in silence, looking surprised. Rainbow must have noticed the exchange and grumbled. “What? I notice things. But I wasn’t scared of him.” She puffed out her chest and took another cookie from the plate on the table.

_Yeah, right._ Pinkie raised a skeptical eyebrow at the mare. Rainbow Dash seemed to catch on and averted her gaze awkwardly. The pink pony turned back to face Fluttershy with a grin. “Well, I’m sure you’re not scared of him now, right?”

“Oh, no, of course not,” she said, placing her cup down on its saucer before continuing. “In fact, he saved me from some direwolves in the Everfree Forest.”

“Direwolves? What are those?”

“I’m not really sure, actually. Spike said he’d seen them on some of his travels, but never expected them to live so near us.” Fluttershy visibly shook as she retold the ordeal she and Spike had gone through. “They’re like timberwolves, only much larger and they have black fur. They’re also much further in.”

“What did he do?” Rainbow asked, leaning in. Pinkie giggled as she saw that Rainbow Dash was at full attention now, waiting to hear where this story was going. _Told you it would be exciting. My back left thigh was pinchy after all._

Fluttershy’s cheeks flushed a light pink as Pinkie Pie looked on. “He…uh…he protected me and fought them off.”

“Them?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to the side.

The timid pegasus nodded her head. She stared at the tea pot on the table and continued her explanation. “There were two. One started off…I suppose she was distracting Spike while the other snuck up, but…he managed to out manoeuvre them; although…he was…bitten a couple of times. I was so worried for him, and at one point I thought he was trapped. Oh, I thought Spike was in trouble then. One had his jaws on his back leg, while the female charged…probably going to attack his neck.”

Fluttershy shuddered and held a hoof up to her own neck. She took a calming breath and relaxed in her seat. “But the next thing I knew, Spike took a deep breath and blew fire at the charging wolf. It was so bright and I could feel the heat in it from a few feet away. It…it didn’t actually touch the direwolf, but I think she quickly realised that if she didn’t back down it would. She ran back into the forest, leaving Spike to deal with the male. He flew up into the air and scratched at the wolf until he let go and ran away too.”

The room went silent. Pinkie stared wide-eyed at the timid pony for a few seconds, before checking on Rainbow Dash. She had the same expression that she did, but seemed to regain her senses as she blinked.

“Whoa! He really breathed fire?” she asked. Fluttershy nodded her response, still blushing from the attention. “What the hay? I thought he said he’s never used his claws before. Sounds to me like he knew what he was doing. It sounds like those wolves were lucky they ran when they did.”

“W-well, it could have just been instinct,” Fluttershy offered, fiddling with her hooves.

“I thought Spike was really _good_ at smelling nice all the time; probably because of Rarity.” Pinkie giggled uncontrollably as she rolled around on her chair. She looked at Rainbow Dash, who rolled her eyes at the joke.

“Speaking of Rarity, don’t you two think she was being a bit odd today?” the Flyer’s captain questioned. “With Spike, I mean.”

“W-well, she did have a valid reason for not wanting to bring her bags for Spike to carry.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “I’m not talking about that, though that’s still pretty weird. She just…I don’t know. The way she looked at him when Spike offered to help her up and her buying the best seats on the train. I mean, she had to have known that Spike could buy his own ticket, right?”

“Maybe she was just being nice,” Pinkie suggested, feeling like she had to say something or else she’d be suspected. She felt her heart beat quicken and she tried to shake off the sensation. _Just calm down, Pinkie. All of those things can just be labelled as things that friends do._

“Pinkie? Hello?!” Pinkie flinched back as she saw a cerulean foreleg wave back and forth in front of her face.

“Hm?” she asked innocently.

“I said: ‘she’s not normally that nice’; at least not to Spike. She’d be asking him to carry all of her things. That reason for them leaving seemed awfully fishy to me too. I think something’s going on between them. Why else would they go on a trip together like that?”

“It does seem a little bit strange,” Fluttershy agreed hesitantly.

“Hey. Wait a minute.” Pinkie took another sip of her tea, a fairly long one, as she saw Rainbow Dash’s magenta eyes fall on her from her peripheral vision. The party mare began to sweat, feeling the seconds begin to tick by quite slowly. “Pinkie? Do you know something about this?”

She gulped when she heard her name, and set the empty cup down on its saucer. “Nopey dopey, not a clue. But I just think those are things that friends do for each other.” _Phew, good cover-up, Pinkie._

“Maybe she’s right,” said Fluttershy, bringing up the tea pot to pour more tea for Pinkie Pie. “I mean, she’s always appreciated Spike for being so nice to her. She’s even told me so on some of our spa days. Maybe she wanted to pay him back now.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head, eyes still trained on the pink pony. “I don’t think so. You can’t fool me, Pinkie Pie. I know when you’re not telling me something. What do you know about this?”

“Nothing.” Pinkie shrugged easily. “I’m just as in the dark about all of this as you and Fluttershy are.” _Oh, please don’t do this. I promised._

“Pinkie, tell me,” Rainbow jumped from her chair and tackled Pinkie to the ground, pinning her in place. “You know what I’ll do if you don’t. I’d rather not have to do it in front of Fluttershy, but if you don’t say I will tickle you.”

“Ah! No!” Pinkie Pie squirmed uselessly, trapped beneath the cerulean pegasus. She began to struggle even more as Rainbow started to tickle her, eliciting uncontrollable giggling and guffawing from Pinkie.

“You asked for this, Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash shouted over the laughter. “What are you hiding?”

“I-I can’t! Ha! Say! I-I just can’t!” She snorted and writhed around on the carpet of Fluttershy’s cottage, but she managed to keep her mouth shut about Spike’s secret crush on Rarity and Rarity’s changing feelings for Spike as well.

The flight captain scoffed and hopped off of Pinkie after a few more minutes of tickling, losing interest like Pinkie had hoped. “Fine. You must have Pinkie promised one of them, anyway.”

“How do you know she would tell you anything from tickling?” Fluttershy asked.

The party pony bounced up from the floor and shuffled over to grab another cookie. She then gulped down another cup of tea, hearing the cerulean pegasus clear her throat. “It was at one of our sleep overs with all six of us a few years ago. She was snoring away like crazy and I couldn’t fall asleep. I tried everything I could think of to wake her up and stop her snoring, but nothing worked. The last straw was to tickle her, and she ended up confessing that on the month before she spent all of her paycheck from Sugarcube Corner on candy and party streamers.”

“It was a last minute party! I had to improvise,” Pinkie countered.

Rainbow Dash huffed. “Yeah, well, when she Pinkie promises something, even that can’t get whatever she’s hiding out of her. So that leaves one thing to do.”

“What?”

The rainbow-maned pegasus stood up from her seat, making for the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. “We’re going to see Twilight. If she knows what’s going on with Spike, we’ll have her tell us.”

Pinkie stared on as Rainbow Dash opened the door and flew out. She turned to the timid pony across from her, seeing the same look of surprise that she guessed she was wearing. _Twilight. You Pinkie promised not to say anything about Spike’s crush on Rarity too. She won’t get anything from her either._ She took a deep breath as she pushed herself up to her hooves and began hopping after her impatient friend. “Come on, Fluttershy, let’s go visit Twilight.”

“Uh…okay, just uh…” The party mare spun around to see Fluttershy fretting over the items on the table. She began to mumble incoherence as she picked up the tea pot, packing up the tea set in a rush.

Pinkie chuckled and bounded back over to her timid friend. “It’s okay, Fluttershy. You don’t have to come along this time. It’s no big deal.” She trotted up to the pegasus and rested a hoof on her shoulder. “We can always hang out later. I’m sure this won’t take too long.”

Fluttershy blinked at the mare and set down the tea pot. After a few moments, the pony smiled at Pinkie Pie. “That’s alright. Angel, I’m going out for a few minutes. I’ll be back to clear the table later.” With just a nod and another soft smile, Fluttershy started for the door. “It’ll be nice to see Twilight again, after all.”

Pinkie watched her leave, smiling about the little pony’s dramatic change in attitude. _I wonder if Rarity knows just how much we helped Fluttershy. I’ll have to let her know when she gets back with Spike._ She started bounding after the other two mares and smirked as another thought occurred to her. _Ooh, I wonder if Spike has wooed Rarity yet._

Catching up with Rainbow Dash was relatively easy, even as Pinkie stopped around to speak with several of her neighbours about how their days were going. The Ponyville Flyer’s captain was mumbling angrily to herself as Pinkie and Fluttershy watched on. It was a clear and crisp day out this morning, though Pinkie saw a large rain cloud off in the direction that the train had taken. Soon all three ponies were at the door to the Golden Oaks library. The cerulean pegasus knocked on the door and Pinkie Pie listened for approaching hoof steps.

Minutes passed by and she heard nothing. Not even any screams or explosions from within the building. _Maybe Twilight’s out somewhere at the moment?_

“Hey, Twilight, you in there?” Rainbow began to knock on the door harder. Fluttershy stepped a bit closer to Pinkie, the pink pony catching the motion out of her peripheral vision as she stood on the steps. “This is important, open up!” The door creaked open, revealing the first floor of the building. “Twilight?”

_What’s going on?_ Pinkie shifted to the right to peer around the pegasus. The aura around Twilight’s horn faded as she looked forward at her and her friends. “I’m glad you’re all here. I just received a message from Princess Celestia. She wants me to meet her in Canterlot immediately. She said it’s about Spike’s trip.” The three visiting mares gasped. “I’m going there now, but I need you three to go and get Applejack and come back here. I’ll tell you all about it once I return.”

“But Twilight…why can’t we come with you?” Fluttershy asked, stepping up to stand beside the Ponyville Flyer’s captain.

Twilight shook her head apologetically. “There isn’t time. I can’t teleport all of you over there at once and waiting for a train to go there would take a few hours, so I’ll go by myself and hear what the princess has to say. I wish I could say more, but I need to leave now.” Twilight nodded at the ponies, and Pinkie Pie watched as her horn lit up again. The lavender alicorn clenched her eyes shut and took a few deep breaths, before a flashing light caused the pink pony to blink.

When Pinkie reopened her eyes, she was staring into the now empty first floor of the library.

“What was that all about?” Rainbow asked as she walked into the building. “Can I not just ask a question and get a proper answer anymore?!” She grumbled and took flight. “I’ll go get Applejack, I guess. I’ll be the fastest, and I need to do some serious flying to relax right now. Later.”

Before either Fluttershy or Pinkie could protest, the cerulean pegasus zoomed off for Sweet Apple Acres to fetch Applejack. Pinkie looked on after her for a few seconds before turning back to face the library. _Spike? What’s going on?_


	15. Chapter 15

Twilight

The castle interior was magnificently decorated as always; flags of blue tulips strewn about a green field, a moonlit sky with stars arranged in a diamond pattern beneath and stained glass windows were all along the walls. Grand pillars stood in the halls holding up the lofty white marble ceiling of the Hall of the Elements.

Above Ponyville, at the peak of the mountain where Canterlot made its home, clouds covered the skies white. Off to the west the sun hung in the sky, casting the clouds’ shadows all across Equestria.

Twilight was breathing heavily, never before needing to teleport such a distance before. She wobbled a few feet before holding her head and steadying herself. As her vision stabilized, the lavender pony glanced around at the hall and found that it was empty.

“Princess Celestia?” called the alicorn as she turned to face the end of the hall, where the elements were once kept. Her lavender eyes fell onto one of the stained glass paintings that were along the walls. She sighed and approached the first painting that was made in her and her friend’s honour, placing her hoof under the portion with Rarity. _What does the princess want to tell me about Spike? I hope it’s not bad._

“There you are, Twilight,” sounded a regal voice from behind Twilight. “You have arrived swiftly.”

The studious alicorn spun around and faced her mentor, smiling once their eyes met. “Princess!” Twilight bowed low to the princess. After a few seconds, she felt a hoof under her chin. Princess Celestia brought her face up to look into her eyes. The tall mare smiled sadly.

“There is no need for that anymore. Especially now that Spike has left for his trip.”

Twilight blinked at the sad look in Princess Celestia’s eyes as she spoke. “Sorry. I’m still not used to…looking like this…and not bowing to you.” She shrugged and blushed slightly. “It’s a lot to accept.”

Celestia nodded. “I understand.” The princess gestured forward for Twilight to follow along. She headed for the palace courtyard, Twilight trotting up to walk beside her. “Now, I am certain that you are wondering why I have called you here to discuss Spike’s trip.”

“Yes, actually…how did you know about it?”

“We discussed it on a few occasions, though he hid his intentions from me.” The two ponies ascended the steps to the upper levels of the castle. “I’m afraid that the manner of the journey is not as he says it is, at least to you, Twilight.”

“What?!” Twilight’s eyes widened at her statement and quickly teleported in front of Princess Celestia. “Is he in trouble? What’s going on?”

The alicorn held up a hoof to silence the mare before her. “Calm yourself, my dear Twilight, for growing fearful will do nothing to aid Spike in his quest. I called you here alone because time is limited. I trust you to return to your friends after I finish what I have to say and determine the best course of action with each other.”

Twilight merely nodded for her to continue. The princess proceeded to what the lavender pony assumed was her quarters. _So this is important enough to need this much privacy? What has Spike gotten himself into?_

“I must request that we not speak more of this until we are in my chambers. This matter must be kept secret. Just between my sister and I and you and your friends. I do not wish for this to be common knowledge.”

“I understand, princess,” said Twilight, continuing to follow her mentor in silence. Giant vases of flowers could be seen at the top of the second floor landing, just after the steps. Another set of flags hung from the ceilings and doors were arranged all along the hallways, leading off into other rooms. Twilight recognised her old room as she glanced out one of the windows and also managed to see the school where she had hatched Spike sixteen years ago. _Where are you, Spike? Really?_

The lavender alicorn looked back to the front when she heard the door to Princess Celestia’s room open. She looked over her shoulder at the smaller pony, before walking in. _I don’t know what is going on, but the princess looks really shaken about something. I’ve never seen her so nervous. Spike…Rarity…please be safe._

Twilight sat at the couch in the princess’ room, waiting for her to explain the reason for being needed immediately. Princess Celestia stood silently on one side of the room, facing away from the lavender mare. Twilight took in her mentor’s living space as the silence drew on. She hadn’t seen it much during her time in Canterlot, but the room hadn’t changed since she was here.

The princess’ living room was quite large, mostly to fit the multitude of books that she kept on her bookshelf. Eight six foot-tall shelves were placed on the south end of the room, organised in much the same way as Twilight had for the Golden Oaks library back in Ponyville. Three windows were placed on the west and east sides of the room, with a staircase leading up to her bed and another hallway to the kitchen on the north end. The only thing that Twilight noticed had changed was the type of table that was in front of the couch: a rounded glass table instead of a retangular wooden one.

Minutes had passed by in that room, and Twilight was beginning to think that Princess Celestia would never speak to her of what was so important. _Princess, what are you waiting for? If Spike is in trouble, I don’t think that we have time for this._ The alicorn was about to voice her concerns when the white pony turned to face Twilight.

She held a grim expression on her face, one that startled Twilight into swallowing her complaints. She sat up straight on the couch and swallowed hard. “It began when Spike’s wings first grew in, I believe, though he did not speak to me of his idea until after Luna began to teach him to fly. It was little things, questions about where he was found, if I knew where that was; also if I knew where any dragon lands were. Unfortunately, I did not understand what he was asking at the time and I directed him to the Crystal Empire library.

“Even as old as I am, one thousand years is not far back enough to know of a time when dragons spoke to ponies. If there was any information about the dragons, it would be in the books of the empire that was long forgotten until recently. The Crystal Empire existed long before my time, and the ponies there documented everything of usefulness. I am not certain that anything was there, but judging by Spike’s journey, I would say that he has some idea of where to go to find dragons.”

The lavender mare placed her fore hooves on the glass table and stood up. “But why is he trying to find dragons again? I thought that he decided not to go after them after that journey he went on.”

“I am not certain, Twilight.” Princess Celestia shook her head and sighed deeply. “I have a feeling that he is still interested in finding out about himself. Possibly even about his family. I cannot fault him for that. He seemed to be most interested in where he was found. I have never told you about where that little purple and green egg was from, did I; the one that you had to hatch for your entrance exam?”

Twilight blinked at the odd question, but lowered her head in contemplation. _I didn’t. Now that I think about it…why wouldn’t I?_ She shook her head at the princess’ question. “No. I never asked. I suppose I was too little to wonder where a dragon egg came from.”

“That’s not surprising. You were too busy raising him to wonder where he came from. I found Spike’s egg in the Ibexian Tundra. It is far west of Equestria, on a completely separate continent. It is in a permanent state of winter; ice and snow always covering the land, the trees and the lakes and rivers. I had sensed a disturbing presence off in that direction and had decided to investigate. It was before Luna was freed from her imprisonment on the moon.

“I had never sensed anything like it before. It was strange and ancient; nothing like Discord or King Sombra. But when I arrived, it had disappeared. In its place…lay a black and white dragon.” At that, the elder pony sighed and began to walk around the room. Twilight thought she saw some tension developing on Princess Celestia’s face, as if remembering this moment brought her great pain.

_Did she know this dragon or something? Princess…what are you trying to tell me?_ Twilight turned, walking out from between the table and the couch to see her teacher better. Princess Celestia cleared her throat, seeming to regain her composure. “This dragon was swiftly being covered in snow from a storm in the area, but I could tell that it was fully grown. It was curled up almost like it was trying to keep warm. I acted cautiously, for I did not know how a dragon would react to seeing a pony. But when I rounded on his head, I saw that…he had already perished. And near his chest…was that little egg that you now know as Spike.”

Twilight’s lavender eyes widened in shock at what the princess had told her. “What?! But…but you said that this happened before Luna was freed. How long ago was this?”

Princess Celestia smiled and shook her head. “You never miss a word, do you Twilight? Hmm, I would have to say at least three hundred years ago. I did not think that I could save the little one. Something that small in such frigid temperatures, even being surrounded by that dragon’s chest full of fire, would not have had much time. I had no idea how long they had been there, before I arrived either.”

“Three…three hundred years?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes. The moment really touched me. I do not know what happened, or why, but I could not abandon an animal to die. I swore to that dragon…that I would save and protect that egg with all of my power. With not a moment to spare, I teleported back to the palace and ordered the Canterlot doctors to bring the egg up to a warmer temperature.

“The teleportation took the same toll on me that day that it took on you coming here, though the distance was farther. I was able to reach the hospital wing and give the egg to the nurses before needing to rest. We really did not know if our work had actually helped. They managed to bring the egg up to a warmer temperature, of course the temperature regular for a pony.

“Nopony knew about dragon development, so we could only hope that that was enough. For the next three hundred years or so, we worked to hatch the egg, but no matter how many strong unicorns tried, there was no indication of any life from within. Only when you were tasked with the hatching of Spike’s egg were our doubts finally assuaged.”

“You mean…not even you…?”

She closed her eyes, standing directly in front of the smaller alicorn. “No, my dear Twilight. I was too afraid that I would cause some harm, attempting to hatch the egg myself. Now that Spike has grown up, I suppose he wishes to know about his family. I can surely understand that, but I did not think it my place to tell him. I doubt that I would be able to tell him of how he survived that day, in any case. I only mentioned that he was found near the Ibexian Tundra.”

The studious alicorn thought on that for a moment, thinking back to what Princess Celestia said about the black dragon earlier. Her lavender eyes widened in realisation. “Wait. So that dragon…the one that saved him as an egg…was that Spike’s father?”

Princess Celestia stayed silent for a few moments, seeming to be contemplating her answer. She sighed and hung her head. “I am uncertain. I do not wish to believe that what you ask is true; however, it had occurred to me at the time that that seemed to be the most logical conclusion. I didn’t see any other dragons about, so it is possible.”

Twilight took a step back and shook her head. “That…that’s awful.”

“Yes,” the princess replied, stepping closer to Twilight. “That is why I need you and your five friends to go after Spike, and help him to cope with the possibility that his father died to protect him. Not only that, but I fear that he is in danger on his own.”

“He didn’t go alone. Rarity went with him,” retorted the studious mare. Her eyebrows creased as she thought about the white unicorn’s actions. “And if what you say is true…that Spike is going to find his family…then he must have told Rarity about it too.”

“I could only assume that as well. I am surprised that she would agree to go with him without saying anything though. Her generous spirit must have had something to do with her agreement.”

“Rarity…how could she not tell me what he was thinking of doing? Why did she lie?”

Princess Celestia lifted a hoof up to her chin. “Hmm. Perhaps it was Spike who asked her not to speak of this to another pony.”

“But why?!” shouted Twilight, her wings flaring about her in frustration. “Why would neither of them tell us why they were doing this?”

“Twilight, we do not have the time to question their motives. Before we can figure out why they did what they did, you and your friends must follow them and bring them back safely. I do not know how far along they are, but I can send you in much the same direction that they have taken.”

The astute mare sighed, managing to calm her breathing and her heart rate down. “Alright. You’re right, princess. Getting angry and frustrated won’t bring my friends back. It looks like I have no choice but to follow them again.”

“Now Twilight, do not be so hasty to accept.” The taller pony stepped closer, resting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “This will be a dangerous journey, more so for you than it will be for Spike and Rarity. You will not have the luxury of being able to fly all of the way across the open ocean to the western continent without needing to stop.”

Twilight smiled in response, undaunted by the task. “It’ll take a little longer to reach him then, in that case. But you said that Spike and Rarity were in danger, and I can’t just sit here while my friends are out there; especially if they will get hurt. Please Princess Celestia,” she pleaded, with her eyes trained on her mentor. “please tell me that you know how my friends and I can get to them in time.”

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, silence filling the room. Princess Celestia smiled and broke eye contact with her student. “Very well. First, your trip will begin back in Ponyville. You and your friends will meet at the train station at the earliest convenience. You will need to prepare for a long journey before disembarking. From Ponyville, you will travel south to Vanhoover by train and reach the coast within a day and a half. A ferry will be waiting for your group. It shall take you to Starswirl Island, the island where Starswirl the Bearded lived while he was not being my advisor.

“I’m afraid that that is as far as I can aid you in this endeavour. The territorial boundary of Equestria only stretches out to that island and a few others scattered around to the south. I am afraid that you and your friends will need to fly the rest of the way to the Saddle Arabian desert, directly west of your location.

“However, if I should be able to contact the Ibexian princes before you reach the border, they may provide transport to their lands. We have an open border agreement that allows us to ship trade goods to each other. It could be useful. Otherwise, once you arrive at the Saddle Arabian desert, you must take great care in this place to not make the desert sand move too much beneath your hooves. Fearsome creatures burrow into that desert, and few ponies or any other animal foolish enough to not have caution when in that place ever return.

“The border of that land and the area from where I found Spike is once again to the south. From then on, it is a walk through the Ibexian Tundra, where direwolves and other dangerous creatures are said to originate from. Continue the journey west, where on the other side are the Scorched Lands, to where I suspect lies a colony of dragons. The area where Spike was found was very close to that spot, most likely being dropped from the sky in a panic. I am not certain what could scare a dragon into dropping one of its kind though.”

_That is a troubling thought._ Twilight stood up tall with a stern expression crossing her features. “Alright. I’ll begin immediately.”

“Before you go,” Princess Celestia interrupted, raising a hoof to gain her student’s attention. “know that this task is unlike any other that you have faced. I cannot be clear on what I fear will come to pass; however, I sense that something greater, even greater than the danger of Spike and Rarity facing dragons, is involved here. You must be careful.”

“I can’t just sit here while my friends are in danger though! If they’re in trouble then my friends and I have to go and help them in whatever way we can.” Twilight quickly reigned in her outburst; placing a hoof over her muzzle and feeling blood rush into her cheeks. To her surprise, however, the princess before her began to chuckle.

“I’d expect nothing less from my most faithful student. Very well,” she replied, adopting a firm stature and voice as she continued. “I strongly urge you to practice caution when on this quest. I have little knowledge of the wilderness on the western continent, so you and your friends must be careful.”

Twilight nodded her acknowledgement. “Alright. I think my magic has returned. They should all be back at the library, so we will start preparing immediately.” She quickly began to funnel her magic into her horn to begin her teleport back to Ponyville.

“Twilight, wait. There is one thing that I must mention and ask of you. It is about Spike. I do not know if his time in the egg had anything to do with this, but I have never known a dragon to be able to send letters through their flame. Nor have I ever known a dragon to grow to the size of a pony in just four years.

“There is so little that we know about dragons, and Spike might be our only lead to further knowledge. It would seem that he is something of a unique type of dragon not written about in any text thus far. I do not wish for him to be hurt, not only because he is important to understanding the dragon species, but also because he is important to me. So I ask you…and your friends…please keep my promise and protect him.”

Twilight gazed at the princess and saw the desperation in her eyes. She swallowed hard and stood up straight. “I promise. For you and for myself, I will make sure he and Rarity are safe.”

Princess Celestia nodded her thanks and watched as the lavender alicorn’s horn lit up. Twilight closed her eyes, but she could still see the expression on her mentor’s face. _She’s holding something back, just like Rarity was. What did she sense three hundred years ago that caused her to find Spike?_ Spike and Rarity’s faces appeared in her vision in that moment, and she pushed those unanswered thoughts aside. _It doesn’t matter. I can’t waste any more time._ Twilight focused her magic and opened her eyes as she teleported back to the Golden Oaks library.


	16. Chapter 16

Rarity

“Aha! I win again,” declared Rarity as she placed her last card on top of the queen of spades. The day had gone on while the four passengers played and the unicorn had been quite successful in all of the games they had suggested.

“Wow, that’s three times in a row,” Button exclaimed, rubbing the top of his head. Rarity took this time to look out from the opened windows of the train car. The sun was quickly beginning to set, and the sky was painted in colours of yellow and orange. _Oh my, has that much time really passed by since we started?_

Spike chuckled from beside the mare, and Rarity turned toward him with a quizzical look, being brought out of her thoughts by his laughter. “What’s so funny, dear?”

The dragon ambassador shook his head, his right claw still full with cards. “I don’t know how you do it, but you always manage to block me off from playing any of my cards. It’s just like when we were back at the party.”

Rarity’s grin returned and she tilted her head away, feigning a proud attitude. “Well Spikey-Wikey, I cannot simply tell you how I do it, if that is what you’re trying to ask me. It’s my little secret.”

“Another splendid game, you two,” Linda said, shuffling her cards around. She lay them across the table face up and smiled at the two friends. “Shall we have another game?”

“Yeah, I want to see if I can beat you once,” added the young colt. Rarity laughed and watched as he took all of the cards and began to shuffle them. He stuck his tongue out as he concentrated on randomizing the card selection.

“Now Button, don’t go getting competitive like you did with all of those games you used to play. Please don’t,” she repeated, frowning. Rarity imagined that something truly annoying or horrible had happened to make her speak in that tone, but the mare’s smile soon returned with full force. “It’s all in good fun.”

“I know, I know,” Button replied, beginning to deal out the cards from the deck. “but what fun is there if there isn’t a challenge? My challenge is to win against Rarity, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

The white mare chuckled at the younger pony’s reasoning. Rarity turned to Linda and waved a hoof. “It’s quite alright, darling. I don’t mind having another game of sevens. It passes the time quite nicely, doesn’t it?”

“Especially if you’re winning,” Spike replied with mock annoyance. He had rested his head in one claw to make a show of being upset and was grinning from his response.

“Oh, shush, you,” Rarity tittered, shoving the dragon with her hoof. Linda began to laugh, causing the unicorn to tilt her head in confusion and interest. “Excuse me, dear. But what is so funny?”

Linda raised a hoof up to her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter as she shook the other hoof to alleviate Rarity’s concerns. “I’m sorry, but you two are so cute together. Are you on your honeymoon or something?”

“What!?” Spike shouted in surprise. Rarity blushed and looked away for a moment, not knowing what to say to something like that. _I…I agreed to come with him to try and figure out once and for all what my feelings were for him. If anything would bring them out, would it not be a perilous journey into dragon territory? For that matter, what does agreeing to accompany him on this quest say about my feelings toward him?_ “No, we’re…we’re just friends, that’s all. We’re heading for Manehattan, and then the Griffin Kingdom.”

“Oh, I see,” Linda’s words seemed to echo in her head, but they sounded so distant Rarity almost didn’t hear them.

Rarity turned to face Spike, surprised and a little hurt by his answer. _Just…friends?_ She tilted her head down to stare at her hooves. She remembered back to the party, when Spike had avoided speaking to her. It had really hurt her, hearing the strain in his voice as he avoided her help. When Rarity had spoken again, saying how silly she was for worrying about him, she had been fighting off tears about her mistakes. She also remembered that when she had reached out to comfort Spike, he had recoiled from her hoof. _And…on our day together…I thought for sure that he would ask me out on a date._ _Does he not…like me anymore?_

“Rarity?” a familiar voice called, shaking the white mare from her imaginings. “Are you okay?” She turned to face the owner of the voice and found Spike staring back at her worriedly. She cleared her throat and slowly shook her head.

“I’m fine,” she intoned, turning to Linda and Button. They had equally concerned expressions on their faces, as they placed the cards Button had probably dealt to each of them down on the table. Rarity smiled. “On second thought, I think I will excuse myself. I think I will peruse the dining car and see if anything catches my fancy. I am sorry to have worried all of you.”

Before the others could protest or ask what was wrong, Rarity pushed herself up from her seat at the table and walked to the door. She pushed it open and broke out into a trot to reach the next car over. _Pull it together, Rarity. You are over thinking this._ Rarity pushed passed the other door and continued walking, not actually stopping to eat anything. _Why am I thinking about this at all? If he doesn’t like me anymore that is his choice…but…oh, why do I feel this way?_

The distraught unicorn managed to find a railing and placed her fore hooves on it to steady herself. She sat on her haunches and glanced around. Rarity found that she had made her way passed the food car and was now staring out one of the sightseeing cars. On either side there were no windows or seats or ponies. What greeted her instead were the wide open plains, spreading out for miles, before rising up to become the rolling hills and jagged mountain peaks in the distance. Before that was the far green country, with patches of forest and woodlands and even parts of the Everfree still stretched out.

Though Rarity thought that the view was magnificent in its own right, she could find no true joy in its beauty. She felt butterflies in her stomach instead. _Is it because I do not have his affections anymore? He was always there to shower me with praise and caring, and tell me how lovely he thought my every outfit and movement was, albeit he was a little bit over the top at times…but his heart was always in the right place…now he doesn’t seem to treat me like that anymore…_ She lowered her head to the railing and sighed. “Is this how he felt all these years?”

“Rarity?” The mare jumped from the silence being interrupted. Knowing who had followed her, strangely hoping for it to be him, Rarity turned to face the purple dragon. She still held onto the railing with her left hoof, finding that she had tightened her grip on it unknowingly. “Are you okay? Linda and Button were really worried about you.”

Rarity took a deep breath and relaxed her hoof, bringing it down to the ground in front of her. _And not you, Spike?_ She tried to smile, to fake a response to spare Spike’s feelings, but then she saw the unhidden worry on the dragon’s face. Rarity shook her head several times, breaking eye contact and staring down at the train car’s floor. “No, Spike. I’m not. But I’d rather not talk about it.”

“But maybe I can help,” came his answer. It was without hesitation, it seemed, that he had replied. Rarity gazed up at him and saw a soft smile on his lips. She immediately turned away, once again staring out at the green fields passing swiftly along. _You were always there to look out for me…even when I was interested in somepony else; somepony like Trenderhoof or even Prince Blueblood. Please, Spike…how can you offer me your help when I know that I don’t deserve it?_

“Spike, would you mind just sitting here beside me? The scenery out here is just lovely.” The fashionista clenched her teeth, waiting and hoping for a response that would not involve her revealing her worries.

It was silent. The only sound that Rarity heard was the occasional whistling of the train and the squeaking of the train tracks. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, from the worry of Spike’s coming answer and from what her request sounded like.

She felt warm suddenly, just on her left side. The seamstress tilted her head to look at what was causing the heat and found Spike looking out across the rapidly passing land. “It is,” he said simply, not taking his emerald eyes from the world in front of him. Rarity kept her eyes on him, and after a while she thought she could see a red colouration staining his cheeks.

Rarity found herself smiling at Spike’s actions, feeling slightly better about herself. _Even if he doesn’t like me anymore, I still have a wonderful and caring friend to rely on._ She turned her head to peer out at the landscape as well, taking in the breathtaking lands across Equestria. The white unicorn shuffled closer to the ambassador and looked over at him as the train continued along its designated track. “So, Spike, would you care for some dinner?”

When the light of day had faded and the moon had risen over the land, Rarity lay in her bed. She had quite enjoyed the dinner she and Spike had had. Linda and Button had joined them as well, and the fashionista had apologized repeatedly for what happened. The family had told her that it wasn’t a problem, and that they understood if she needed to be alone. _Thinking back on it now, it was silly of me to worry that they would not understand._

Spike hadn’t said anything about what happened after she left, to which Rarity had been grateful for. The purple dragon now slept across from her in another bed. He seemed a little bit cramped in the space provided, but when she had asked if he needed more room Spike had declined politely. He had fallen asleep almost as soon as he hit the pillow, which had Rarity giggling at, so she dismissed the need.

Linda and Button left shortly after finishing dinner, saying that they needed to sleep in early for what they planned to do once they reached Trottingham. Rarity recalled, looking up at the ceiling of the train car, that the city of Trottingham was just a few miles north from Manehattan, between the big city and the Griffin Kingdom. She and Spike had nodded their understanding and bid them goodnight, letting them know that they would be stopping over in Manehattan early in the morning and would probably not see them up again.

For the rest of the evening, Rarity and Spike had talked about what they would be doing in Manehattan the next day. _We brought along much of what we need for the trip,_ the fashionista thought, going over what they had said. _But I feel like we would need more food and water. It couldn’t hurt. We’ll eat a quick breakfast on the train, locate a grocery store in Manehattan once we depart, pick up some extra supplies and prepare for the long flight. Simple enough, though I hope Spike doesn’t have too many eyes on him while we’re walking around the city._

Rarity rolled onto her side and looked over at Spike again, seeing his chest rise and fall under the blanket. _You won’t have to worry about that anymore, my little Spikey-Wikey. Not while I’m around._ She could feel her eyes grow lidded with the need for rest, so she placed her head against her pillow and slowly drifted off to sleep.

She awoke again to the moonlight shining through the closed windows. Rarity felt groggy, groaning into her pillow as the light shone into her sapphire eyes. She lifted one eye open and rose up in her bed when she saw that Spike was gone. Rarity tilted her head from the left to the right franticly, leaning out of her open room to look down the hall.

“Spike?” she whispered, pushing off the blankets and stepping down to the car’s carpeted floor. _Where did he go?_ Rarity glanced down at the longer end of the hall, feeling slightly dizzy from standing so quickly. She leaned against the left side of the car and shook off her inertia. Slowly, the mare took her hoof from the wall and walked down the hall to the next car. It was eerily quiet as she made her way passed the other beds, lined along each side. _We’ll be arriving in Manehattan soon. Where could he be off to?_

She stopped in her tracks as she felt the train turn around a sharp corner, probably avoiding the base of a mountain. Once the car straightened out again, Rarity reached the door to the next car. She pushed the door open with her magic and saw that it was another sightseeing car, like the one she had sat in with Spike. It seemed empty at first glance, and the fashionista was becoming upset. _Where is that dragon?_ Suddenly, something moved out of the corner of her eye. Somepony or some _dragon_ was leaning on the railing on the right side.

“Goodness, Spike. There you are. You had me worried for a few minutes. What in Equestria has made you wish to come out here so early in the morning?” The dragon didn’t move, or answer her. Rarity walked a little closer, perplexed by his silence. “Darling? Are you alright?” Again, no answer from Spike. The air around her began to stifle her breathing. She felt suddenly uneasy about this whole thing, like something wasn’t right.

Cautiously, the white pony walked up beside Spike and tapped him on the shoulder. He shuddered and jumped a bit, looking down at the unicorn before him. “Oh, Rarity. Sorry. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

Rarity breathed a sigh of relief, taking a seat next to the ambassador. “No, dear; though I did wake up to find you missing. I was merely worried that something had happened to you, but I can see that my fears were unfounded. What has brought you out here so early, Spike?” She saw the dragon shrug his shoulders from the corner of her eye.

“I don’t know. I just felt like looking out this way. I guess I couldn’t sleep.”

“I myself had a difficult time sleeping,” replied Rarity, chuckling and muffling her laughter with a hoof. She glanced out across the passing mountains. They seemed to be closer now than the previous time that they had been out here together. She sighed happily, looking out at the moonlit night. The stars twinkled brightly in the deep violet sky, surrounding the moon high in the air. “It’s beautiful isn’t it? Princess Luna has really outdone herself this night. I don’t know how she does it.”

She felt a rumble go through the sightseeing car and struggled to keep herself from falling over. She huffed indignantly, thinking that the conductor had nearly derailed the train car. Rarity was about to say something when she noticed how silent Spike was beside her. The unicorn turned her head to ask what the matter was. Her eyes widened at what she saw…or didn’t see.

“Spike?” Rarity asked again, glancing around at the inside of the sightseeing car for any sign that he was around. She felt warmth on her, which chased away the slight breeze that brushed through the car. But this warmth worried Rarity. It wasn’t the kind of heat she felt from having Spike sit next to her. He wasn’t even around, as far as she could tell and the warmth was coming from without the car. _How is that…?_

She gasped and spun around, pushing herself up and away from the railing. The beast from her nightmares had returned. Its cold eyes never left Rarity and she could see each individual purple scale on its head as it stared at her. The creature seemed to be even larger than in her previous nightmares, making the mare even more horrified. It sucked in a breath of air, seeming to take the very breath from the unicorn’s lungs in one gulp.

With what little rational thought left to her, Rarity raced for the door to her room, hoping to escape the coming fire blast. She felt the overwhelming heat of the burst of flame as the creature opened its maw. It melted the metal of the railing and of the door handle. She drew her hoof back and shouted as she felt the scorching heat from the handle.

The unicorn began to sweat profusely as the room heated up. Steam seemed to be coming in from the outside, from what Rarity guessed were the nostrils of the beast. A purple, scaled arm worked its way into the car and grabbed at the seamstress.

Rarity screamed and sat up in her bed. Sweat drenched her body and her sheets as she hung her head off of the edge of the bed. She was out of breath and terrified beyond belief. Thankfully, her little outburst had not disturbed any of the other passengers, including Spike. He was still resting peacefully on his side of the car, his chest rising and falling with each breath.

With tears in her eyes and with little else to do but sleep, the violet-maned mare lay back in her bed and attempted to sleep until the sun rose over the mountains.

When she woke up again, Rarity felt the sun beaming in from the now open windows. The rattling of the cars jogged her memory of last night’s dream and she sat up in bed to find that Spike was sitting on the edge of his bed. She managed a smile as a yawn took her. “Waiting for me, are you?” The dragon looked up at her, startled from whatever it was that he had been thinking. She tittered at his embarrassed reaction. “Such a gentledrake.” The fashionista stepped out from the covers and tidied up the bed and her mane, placing the fire-ruby necklace around her neck before turning back to face Spike. “Well, shall we have some breakfast?”

“Sure,” he agreed, nodding his head. “We slept in a little bit, but the breakfast menu should still be available.” The two friends sauntered down the long hallway to the left of Rarity’s bed, Spike pushing the door open and gesturing for her to enter first.

“Why thank you, dear,” Rarity said, grinning at his chivalry. She stepped through to the other room and found that it was the sitting room that they had met Linda and Button in yesterday, with the tables at the far side. The unicorn shivered a little as she recalled seeing the sightseeing car here instead, in her dream. “So, what do you believe you will be having, Spikey-Wikey?” she asked, not letting her nightmares rule her days.

Spike strolled up beside her as the two continued onward to the next car. He hummed a little as he thought about his options. “Well, I looked at the list briefly yesterday when I wasn’t busy and thought that I would like to try their banana and chocolate chip waffles. We’ll see if they’re as good as my famous pancakes.”

Rarity laughed. “Famous? I admit that they were rather good when I ate them years ago, but when did they become so popular among the rest of Equestria?”

The dragon scratched at the back of his neck and chuckled nervously. “Yeah, Twilight said pretty much the same thing. It’s really more of a gag than anything. I offered some of the pancakes I made when I was in Canterlot to the princesses and a few of the guards I knew. You really thought they were good?”

“Why, of course!” exclaimed the seamstress, looking over at Spike with a smile. “I would not have eaten them half as quickly as I did if I did not enjoy them.” Rarity felt the air grow denser as they made their way through the soundproof magical field. Not many ponies were up at this time, however, or at least were not in the train car that they were in currently, so there was no sound except for their conversation.

Spike rushed forward once again and opened the door for Rarity, for which she thanked him with a bow. She could have sworn she saw him blushing, but simply let that thought go, not wanting to think too much on it. _He still might have a few feelings for me, but I understand that those aren’t quite as strong as they once were._

As the two of them entered the dining car, the white unicorn was bombarded with delectable smells coming from every direction. Ponies filled the tables of the room, talking and chatting and eating with their friends or family. At the center of the room, there was a large island bar where the dining staff were working diligently on the passengers’ orders.

Rarity turned to Spike and smiled softly at him. “Well, I hope there are any waffles left! I must remember to wake up earlier next time so as to escape the possibility of a missed meal. I do hope that you did not wait too long on me to wake up this morning.”

The dragon shook his head reassuringly and began to walk up to the island. “Not too long. I didn’t mind waiting anyway. It wouldn’t have been the same all by myself. Plus it wouldn’t make me seem like much of a gentledrake, would it?” Rarity followed along and chuckled at the use of the name that she had come up with for him, cheeks reddening slightly at the look he was giving her.

She quickly waved a hoof at him to dismiss the question. “Nonsense, darling. I would not have minded. If you were hungry at the time, you should have gone and bought something.”

Spike shrugged. “I wasn’t really that hungry. Now though, after seeing all of those waffles floating around, I’m feeling starved.” The fashionista had to stifle a laugh at the hungry expression on his face at that point, as he called one of the staff members over. “Good morning. I’ll have the banana and chocolate chip waffles, please.”

The stallion nodded and jotted down Spike’s order, then he turned to face Rarity. “And for the lady?”

Rarity hummed to herself as she looked up at the menu just behind the pony. “I believe I will have a mushroom omelette, please dear.”

“Alright,” he said, taking down her order as well. “I will have those out to you two shortly.” The two friends nodded their thanks as the staff members started to prepare their orders, and within a few moments Rarity held both dishes in her magical aura.

“I don’t mind carrying those dishes for you, Rarity,” the dragon ambassador offered once they were away from the island.

“Don’t be silly, dear. I am quite capable of carrying my dish and yours comfortably. It is the least that I can do for making you wait for your meal.” The pony could sense that Spike wanted to protest, to say that she hadn’t made him wait, but he ultimately held his tongue. “Well then, where shall we sit?” inquired the seamstress. She glanced around at the ponies at their tables, but found no vacancies among them. Rarity frowned slightly, until an idea struck her. “Aha! I have the perfect place.”

Spike tilted his head at the mare quizzically. She saw his wings shuffle along his back, finding a new place to rest. “Really? Where did you have in mind?”

“We shall eat in the sightseeing car,” she said firmly and without a hint of doubt in her voice. Rarity began the walk over to the next train car and halted when the door swung open to reveal a group of ponies coming in from the next car.

Rarity and Spike waited patiently for the ponies to walk through, smiling at the happy faces that greeted them. The last pony held the door open long enough for Rarity to grip it in her magic. She thanked the mare and trotted through, keeping her magical aura on it for the dragon to venture through. It closed with a soft click and the noise of cheerful conversation disappeared.

Out here, only the wind blew when they made it to the left side of the sightseeing car. There was a couple out as well, but they too were enjoying the peace and quiet of the outside world. Just like in her dream, Rarity saw that the rolling plains had given way to more mountain peaks, which told her that they were very near Manehattan. “A little farther north and we will see the open ocean on our left and the big city on our right. It is not as glamorous as Canterlot, perhaps, but Manehattan also has its charms.”

“Yeah, and it will be good to stretch my wings when we pull up to the station. I can only stand trains so long now, with how much larger I am.” Rarity nodded and levitated Spike’s breakfast over to him. He took it and thanked her, quickly taking the fork on the plate to begin eating the delicious-looking meal.

“I suppose I can understand how you feel. I would rather be out here than inside that cramped space.” She magicked her own fork up and began to eat her omelette. Rarity moaned her approval. The mushrooms were heated to perfection, sizzling within the cooked egg. She could tell that the chefs had added a few pinches of salt and pepper to bring out the flavour, which she was most grateful for. “Delicious,” Rarity sighed, as she readied another forkful of the wonderful breakfast.

She heard Spike chuckle from beside her. “Really? Maybe I should have tried that instead then. Perhaps I can learn to make something like that, when we return again I mean.” Rarity glanced up and grinned at him.

“I would surely be looking forward to it, if you would allow me to try some,” replied the violet-maned mare. She lowered her head slightly and placed the fork with the omelette on it into her mouth.

“I’d be happy to,” Spike said.

The train’s horn whistled as Rarity and Spike disembarked from the train. It was still early in the morning and the train had arrived right on schedule. The conductor began his walk along the trains, saying that they had stopped in Manehattan and would be taking off again soon. With their saddlebags set firmly and comfortably on their backs, the two went off in search of a market to obtain some extra supplies and food for the long journey.

Manehattan’s streets were already busy and bustling, having grown quite substantially in the two years since Rarity had been here to show off her unique line of clothing. She briefly recalled the trouble she and her friends had gone through on that trip, remembering Suri Polomare with rapt clarity, but she shook it off, declaring that it was in the past. _I will not treat my friends so horribly again. I’m a bit glad that Spike had not been there to be a part of that as well._

The trip down to the nearest market took little time at all, but then again, Rarity assumed that ponies would not wish to be in the way of an eight foot-long dragon. Most of the crowds parted to let them pass, surprised and some probably fearful of seeing Spike in the city. Before they entered the market area, Rarity pulled the dragon to the side to check on him.

“Dear, are you alright?” she asked with concern in her sapphire eyes. Spike smiled back after a few seconds, probably understanding what she meant. He nodded with little hesitation in his action.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Pinkie Pie told me not to worry about what others think of me. If they come to a conclusion about me before they even know me, it’s their loss.” Spike lowered his head a little and spoke a little more quietly. “Besides, I have you here caring about me…and that’s enough.”

Rarity’s frown turned into a firm smile as she nodded. “You certainly do, Spikey-Wikey. Now, let’s find some food for you and I. I am sure that they will be selling something to your liking.”

Rarity and Spike walked along the stalls and kiosks of the marketplace and found several things that they thought they would need for the trip; not only food, but also equipment, tent supplies, flashlights and a first aid kit that could fit easily into either of their bags. Most of the ponies in the city had never seen a fully grown dragon and were quite shaken by his presence, so paying for all that caught their eyes went rather quickly, but as far as the fashionista could tell as they ventured along the tables, Spike paid no heed to the fears of those ponies.

With little else to do and their stocks having been filled, the dragon and pony made their way to the water’s edge just beside the docks of Manehattan Harbour. “Well, I suppose we should start on the lengthy part of the journey, huh?” Spike asked, breaking the calm of the seagulls calling from the air and the water ebbing and flowing against the shoreline.

Rarity turned to her companion and smiled softly. “Yes…but do not feel the need to be prepared right away. I understand that it will be a bit uncomfortable having me on your back throughout the entirety of the flight. I must apologize for not asking you if it was alright when we had our day together.”

“It’s alright. Like you said that day, you just want to make sure that I’m not in any danger. I can’t just leave you here now, after we agreed to go together. It’s just funny, kind of.”

“Hmm? Funny how?” Rarity inquired, tilting her head to the side.

“Well, four years ago I was being carried by Twilight or Pinkie…and now I’m carrying you. It’s strange I guess that I’ve grown so quickly. I didn’t think I’d ever grow this large.”

The unicorn smiled sweetly at him and chuckled along with him. “I suppose that that is true; though you would not have stayed that size forever dear, even if it had taken a few more years. The change is quite remarkable, however.”

“Yeah...” Spike replied, his smile fading slightly. Rarity grew concerned and stepped closer to the dragon. She placed a hoof on his shoulder to break him out of his thoughts.

“Spike? Is something the matter, dear?”

He hesitated a little bit, as he looked down at her, but something, either in the way she was looking at him or that he thought that there was no escaping the question, Spike conceded. “Yeah…but…is it alright if we start heading west first? I need to think a little before saying anything.”

"Sure," she smiled. "Take all of the time that you need." Spike seemed to accept that and lowered his body down to the ground for her to step on, extending his wings out. Rarity averted her gaze in the direction of the ocean, suddenly becoming nervous and unsure. She felt her heartbeat quickening as she gingerly stepped onto the dragon's back leg, thinking what ponies would think of this should they be walking past. Rarity focused on the dirt and gravel under her hooves, intent on paying those ponies no mind.

When she had settled down on his back, still very uncertain of her feelings for him, Spike stood up slowly. Rarity had thought that the spikes on his back and tail would be rigid and would bother her, but she found that they were quite flexible and lay flat as she sat on his back. “A-are you alright up there?” he asked tensely.

Rarity gasped quietly as she felt the muscles on his back shift to accommodate for her added weight. She cleared her throat to try to ease the coming blush. “I’m fine, dear. Whenever you’re ready, just say.” The seamstress carefully placed her hooves around Spike’s neck, readying herself for the takeoff. _He has become quite the dragon._

“Okay, here we go,” Spike replied, unfolding the wings that he had brought away from his back to allow Rarity to sit comfortably. Rarity’s eyes widened with awe. They were huge; each wing was ten feet-long at least. Not only were they long, but they also looked quite powerful. _They would have to be powerful, dear, to lift a dragon like him. Still, I did not expect them to be quite so large._

The dragon ambassador began to flap his wings, most likely testing them against the wind. Rarity held on tight as she felt the world below her fade away. Spike’s wing beats became steadier as he flew into the air and began to soar over the open ocean. The violet-maned unicorn glanced down at the water’s surface and she laughed a little. _I’m flying! I’m actually in the air, going to an entirely different continent._ Rarity broke into a fit of happy laughter, hugging Spike tightly around his neck. “Spike! This is wonderful!”

Spike turned his head to smile at the unicorn and looked back in front of him. Rarity loosened her grip on him and glanced down at the lands and water far below again. _This is amazing, and Spike is able to do this all of the time._ As she gazed down at the ocean, Rarity could see pods of orca hunting and hundreds of dolphins all swimming in synchronization with one another. It left the white mare truly stunned and impressed.

For most of the trip, after Rarity had settled her nerves again, the two remained silent, and Rarity began to wonder what he had been thinking about all of this time. The fashionista stared up at the sky and saw that the sun was beginning its descent to the horizon. _We have been traveling for quite some time,_ she thought with slight worry. _I hope that Spike is not too tired, though he did say that he has made quite a few trips like this._ She glanced over at him as he began to turn his head from left to right, giving her cause for concern over this dragon.

“So…Rarity…about what I was trying to say earlier…” Spike said after a few more moments, with a hint of hesitation that Rarity picked up on.

“Yes?”

“W-well…when I said that I had grown really fast for only four years…” He paused and with her worries mounting, Rarity tried to lean to the left side to see Spike’s expression. She saw him close his eyes and sigh. “I was actually worried…about how much more I would grow. I mean, if it only took me four years to grow to the size of you, how many more years will it be before I’m the size of a real dragon?”

Rarity held back a gasp, placing a hoof against her muzzle. She sat back up straight and thought about how to respond. _Oh Spikey-Wikey, I had not thought of that. He may be able to fit into Ponyville even now…but what about later in life?_ Her grip on Spike increased again, and she hugged him. “Spike, I promise you that even if you grow larger I will never cease being friends with you, nor will anypony else who knows you. I realise that I have no way of knowing how you feel about all of this, but I will be here for you if something like that should happen. Do you believe me?”

She could feel Spike swallow as he listened to her reply and nodded firmly once she had finished. “Yeah. I believe you. Thank you, Rarity.”

Her heart leapt at his answer; that her words still had so much meaning to him was truly astounding. Rarity smiled softly and touched a hoof to Spike’s shoulder, glad to be able to relieve some of the stress from his mind. “Not at all, darling. Who knows? Maybe these dragons we meet will have a way for you to deal with these changes.” The unicorn turned her head down to the land that was quickly coming up under them. “That must be the Ibexian Tundra. Wasn’t that where Princess Celestia said you were found?”

Spike nodded, glancing down at the snow-covered land as well. “Yeah, she thought that the colony of dragons close to here was my home before I was left around the area. I was found in the snow all alone and she brought me back to Equestria and took care of me. That was probably close to the time before Twilight hatched me.”

“Oh, that is so sad,” said Rarity, placing a hoof on her chest. “How could any creature, even a dragon, leave their child alone to freeze in the cold? I am so glad that the princess found you, Spikey-Wikey. I couldn’t imagine life without one of my dearest friends.” Suddenly, Rarity felt Spike shudder underneath her. His wings stopped flapping and he seemed to be struggling to breath. “Spike?” she questioned, leaning in worriedly to see if he was saying anything. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer and soon the two of them were falling out of the sky quite rapidly. The unicorn struggled to keep her eyes open, feeling her ears pop from the swiftly changing altitude. Her eyes began to water and her ears rang incessantly.

“Spike! Wake up! Spike!” Her sapphire eyes widened as she saw how close to the ground they were already. Rarity tried to shake Spike from whatever stupor he had entered, but no matter what she did he would not respond. “Oh no! Spike, please, we’re going to crash!” Without hesitation, the seamstress through her hooves around his neck and closed her eyes. She concentrated all of her will and energy into her horn, feeling it tingle with her magic. “Spike!!”

She felt her horn light up, enveloping her and Spike in her sapphire aura before she teleported them closer to the ground. The teleportation had slowed them down considerably in the process of using her magic, but Rarity knew that the impact would still be quite jarring.

Spike hit the snow first, and Rarity lost her grip on the dragon from the rough landing. She shrieked in anguish, feeling a searing heat and pain flooding out from her back. The unicorn tumbled for a few feet, continuing to scream in agony and crying from the almost unbearable pain. Once she stopped rolling, Rarity found herself sprawled out on her stomach, still with that intense heat covering her back. _What…what happened? Spike…what is…?_

She was already beginning to feel lightheaded. Her vision became blurred, but as she lay there stunned, she could see the purple dragon lying in the snow a few feet from her. He wasn’t moving. Before her sight failed her, Rarity raised a hoof out in his direction, trying to push herself forward. Her back seized up, and her consciousness faded away.


	17. Chapter 17

Pinkie

The party pony stood amongst her friends, waiting for the lavender alicorn to return and let them know what was happening. The others were talking to each other, though Fluttershy remained silent beside Applejack.

_Come on, Twilight. Hurry up. I don’t know what’s going on with Spike and Rarity, but judging by the fact that Princess Celestia herself asked to speak with her it can’t be good._ She struggled to keep her mind clear of all of the horrible implications that were brought along with the princess’ intervention, but found it more and more difficult to remain calm with each passing second. _Although, I’m not really the calm type. Hmm._

“What’s taking her so long?!” cried Rainbow Dash across from her, breaking Pinkie from her pondering. “Rarity and Spike could be in danger and they’re all probably having tea right now! We have to go after them!”

“How, Rainbow?” Applejack countered, stepping forward a few steps to be standing in front of the cerulean pegasus. “We don’t even know where to go! We can’t just buy train tickets like this, and they might not even be on the train that they said they’d take! If it’s something that concerns the princess then we can’t go gallivanting around chasin’ shadows.”

“Ooh! But that sounds like fun!” Pinkie exclaimed beside Applejack, bouncing happily like she always did. _That gallivanting part sounds especially fun, whatever that means._ “What does gallivanting mean?”

Before a response could be made, the four friends heard a sound resonating from the middle of the library. Pinkie turned and covered her eyes as she saw a bright light shine from the center of the tree. _Whoa! What a neat light show. Where can I get the machines for that kind of effect?_ When she brought her hoof away from her eyes, she gasped. Twilight lay on the floor of the library, her lavender and pink mane falling lazily over her face.

Pinkie and the rest of the group quickly moved to help the pony, and slowly brought her to her hooves. Fluttershy trotted over, muttering worried words as she aided Applejack in bringing Twilight over to a kitchen chair.

“Easy there, pony girl. Just relax for a minute. Ah’m sure that teleporting great distances really takes it out of a gal.” The orange mare sat down in front of Twilight, flanked by her other three friends. They traded worried glances at one another before hearing a groan emanating from Twilight.

Pinkie was biting her lip in worry. _I hope Twilight’s okay. I know it was important though, otherwise the princess wouldn’t have had Twilight endanger herself like that._ Before Pinkie could speak aloud what she had thought, the lavender alicorn raised a hoof. She sat up straight in her seat and took a calming breath. “I’m okay. I know I can’t go anywhere right now in my current condition, but I can still tell you what is going on.”

“W-well, Twilight,” Fluttershy inquired softly, folding her wings against herself. “What did the princess have to say about Spike and Rarity’s trip?”

The studious alicorn took a few more calming breaths before shuffling in her chair to be more comfortable. She gazed at each of her friends, a stern expression covering her features. “Princess Celestia had some bad news. She knows where Spike is going and it isn’t the Griffin Kingdom.”

“Well then where in tarnation has he and Rarity gone?”

Twilight sighed and used the table to push herself up to her hooves. She walked into the center of the room and sat on her haunches, Pinkie’s eyes never leaving the pony. “She thinks he’s going to find dragons.”

Each of them gasped in surprise, none so loudly as the party mare. Rainbow took off from the ground and flew into the air angrily. “What?! What is he thinking? Didn’t he learn his lesson the last time he tried to track down some dragons?!”

“Rainbow, calm down,” the farm pony yelled up to her, walking closer to Twilight. “There’s no point in gettin’ upset over this. What’s done is done.” Applejack placed a hoof across Twilight’s shoulder, earning a smile from her; however it seemed more like a grimace to Pinkie.

“That’s just it. What about Rarity?” Rainbow asked, spreading her front legs out in front of her to emphasize her point. “I bet she knew about this little plan of his. Why didn’t she tell us about what they were planning if she knew what he was doing?” _Maybe Rainbow Dash was right about this,_ Pinkie thought into her hoof. _But Rarity wouldn’t do that if she didn’t absolutely have to._

“Maybe Spike made her promise not to tell us,” Fluttershy suggested, shaking the little pony from her imaginings. Pinkie nodded her head in silent agreement to what the pegasus said.

Twilight placed a hoof under her chin in thought. “That would make sense. I mean, nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise. Applejack learned first hoof about that.” Applejack locked eyes with the pink pony briefly, most likely seeing the hidden annoyance in those cerulean eyes of Pinkie’s. She gulped and looked away.

Applejack cleared her throat nervously. “Yeah, I remember.”

The pink mare grinned smugly, hearing Applejack’s response and believing that she meant every word. _Yep, and you’ll never make that mistake again._

“Well, it’s either that, or Spike finally lost it and foalnapped Rarity again…” Pinkie Pie glanced over at the pegasus confusedly, seeing that the others were glaring at her. Rainbow shrugged her shoulders, folding her wings against her sides as she landed beside Pinkie and Fluttershy. “What?”

“This is no time for jokes, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight lectured, pushing herself up from her seat in order to stand. Pinkie turned back and watched the pony cautiously just in case she lost her balance and fell, but quickly thought that her worries were unfounded. “Spike and Rarity are in real danger! You remember what happened with those teenage dragons during the Great Dragon Migration. What about adult dragons?”

“What are we going to do, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked, noticeably nervous about the developing situation.

Twilight sighed and walked forward, over to the staircase. “I talked with Princess Celestia about it and she thought that they would travel to the Ibexian Tundra. So we’re going after them.” At that, Pinkie’s eyes brightened. She bounced after her yelling happily.

She saw Rainbow take to the air again, zooming past her and punching the air excitedly. “Alright!! Field trip!! It’s been a while since I could stretch my wings.”

“Hip hip hurray! And when we catch up to them and see dragons, we can all have a super duper fun party extravaganza!” The excitable pony jumped up to the ceiling in one big leap and resumed her usual bouncing around the room. _Wow! It feels like forever since I did this…like, longer than a minute since the last time. I wonder what Rarity and Spike are doing right now. Probably not bouncing, but flying around most likely._ That thought caught her attention. She decreased her scale of bound, distracted by a second thought of hers. _Oooh, I bet Spike is happy that he can fly Rarity around now._

“Well…normally I would be terrified of…e-even seeing a dragon from far away.” When Pinkie heard that little voice, she ceased her bouncing all together and turned around to face Fluttershy. She was hiding behind her light pink mane slightly, appearing fearful. “I-I mean…we’ve only gone out of our way to see a dragon once, b-but…if Rarity and Spike are in trouble…I’ll come along as well.”

Upon hearing this from the timid mare and seeing the determined look following it, Pinkie snapped out of her sly imaginings and hopped over to comfort Fluttershy. “Wow. Me and Rarity’s teachings really have made you more brave. I’m proud of you, Fluttershy.”

“M-m-me…t-t-too.”

Applejack nodded, sitting on the opposite side of Fluttershy. She glanced at each of the ponies with curiosity. “Well alright. Does anypony know where this Ibexian Tundra is located?”

“From the maps that the princess gave me,” Twilight answered, coming back down the stairs with a large book in her magical grasp. She was flipping through it intently, probably searching for something inside its pages. “it’s outside of Equestrian territory. It’s southwest of here, on the most western continent in the world. The Ibexian Tundra is a frozen place that’s in a permanent state of snow and ice, so you’ll want to dress warmly.”

The cerulean pegasus lowered down to look at the book that Twilight had briefly, before zooming back to the ground in front of Pinkie. “What are we waiting for? The longer we take to get ready, the farther those two get ahead of us.”

“Rainbow’s right ya’ll. We’ve gotta git ready right away.”

Twilight nodded her head, glancing at each of her friends. Pinkie was bouncing sporadically beside Fluttershy now, excited at the prospect of traveling outside of Equestrian territory. _Well, whether or not Spike is taking Rarity to a place with dragons, he sure knows how to set up great vacation spots. Ooh! Maybe that’s what this is. Maybe those two are already going out and Spike just wanted to go somewhere special. But that would mean that we would be disturbing them._

“We’ll have to be quick if we’re to make the next train,” the alicorn shut the book and placed it in a saddlebag resting off to the right, near a bookshelf. She brought the bag onto her back with her aura and turned to Pinkie. “Pack warmly and make sure you bring food and camping supplies. We’ll meet at the train station.

“Woohoo! It’s go time! So let’s go, go, go!” Without waiting for a reply, the party pony zoomed off toward the door of the library.

“Pinkie, wait,” called Twilight, causing the pink blur to stop in mid-air to glance back for instruction. The others were all standing now, looking either curiously or confusedly at Pinkie. The lavender mare turned around and began marching up the stairs again. “I need to talk to you for a moment, before you go and prepare. I won’t be long getting my bags ready and then we can head over to Sugarcube Corner.”

“Okie dokey lokie!” Pinkie bounded up the staircase behind Twilight, waving goodbye to the others as they went to pack their own belongings for the arduous trip. The scholarly pony began to rummage through her belongings when they reached her room, sorting out what she would need while away.

Pinkie allowed her to grab her saddlebags and whatever else she needed; her attention was elsewhere anyway. She wandered around the room, occasionally taking in the décor of the upper floor. _Rainbow Dash did have a point back at Fluttershy’s cottage. Rarity has been treating Spike way differently from before. And not only that, but Rarity agreed to go with him to dragon lands. She told me about when she went to find Spike during that dragon migration we watched, but I never expected her to_ volunteer _to go somewhere so dangerous._

The usually bouncy pony broke off from her thoughts upon seeing Twilight tossing things aside hurriedly in an attempt to be prepared for the coming journey. Pinkie sat down on her haunches and stared out the window of the upper floor of the library, wondering where her two friends were right now. _I suppose that explains why she left all of her usual luggage behind. She always has to take a bunch of clothes to change into when going somewhere fancy like a castle, but I guess she thought that fire-breathing dragons and clothing don’t mix too well._

Pinkie turned her head, hearing Twilight place the last items into her saddlebags and shrug them on. “So what did you want to talk to me about?” Pinkie asked as she watched Twilight make for the stairs. Guessing that her friend was ready to depart for Sugarcube Corner, the excitable mare followed along.

“It’s about Spike and Rarity,” the alicorn replied, startling Pinkie slightly as they descended to the first floor of the library. “I know that over the years, you and Rarity have gotten to know one another quite well. I heard from her how you were working on a dress together and that you just spent more time together.” Twilight hesitated, biting her lip as she dropped her gaze.

The two of them were standing in the middle of the living room, though at this point Pinkie was more concerned with the alicorn’s state of mind than where they were. _Twilight, what are you trying to say?_ thought Pinkie, even though she knew where this conversation was headed. She watched patiently as the lavender mare turned away from her. “I couldn’t ask Rarity, even if she were here right now, so I need to ask you something.”

The party pony stopped bouncing immediately. Twilight still had her back turned, so Pinkie couldn’t tell what expression her face held at the time. _Just ask me, Twilight. I know that you need to ask somepony._ The other mare spun around, a unwavering expression crossing her face.

“I need you to be honest with me…please.” Pinkie gulped and nodded slightly at her friend. “How does Rarity feel about Spike? She has to have had some change in four years. Please, Pinkie.”

The look in her eyes said it all: full of desperation and dread at the coming response. _I can’t just hide everything like I did with Rainbow Dash. She was just mad and frustrated, but Twilight is scared. I promised them both that I wouldn’t tell anypony how they felt about each other, but at least I can tell her how I thought her opinion of Spike has changed._ Pinkie took a deep breath, walking toward the front door. She heard the alicorn keeping pace with her as she sorted her thoughts about the Rarity and Spike situation into coherent sentences. Hopefully Pinkie could alleviate some of the stress that Twilight was feeling with what she learned, talking to Rarity over the years.

“I’m sorry, Twilight,” Pinkie began sympathetically, watching how she worded her answers carefully. “I Pinkie promised Rarity that I would keep what we talked about between us.” The words hung in the air all around the room. The party mare kept her cyan eyes directly on Twilight, trying to determine every emotion and reaction that she would have toward this topic. _Please, Twilight. Please understand. You have to._

As if on cue, the studious alicorn let her head drop to stare at the floor. They stopped together and Twilight’s shoulders slumped forward. She sighed, looking to Pinkie like she had suddenly given up on ever seeing Spike or Rarity again. “Alright…I understand,” she whispered, sitting on her haunches as she continued to stare at the wooden floor of the library.

Pinkie bit her lip, never seeing her friend look so defeated before. _She’s asking me this for Spike. She needs to know that there’s still a chance that Rarity will like him, but…do I even think that there is?_ She thought back to her conversation with the proper lady, hearing the sincerity in her voice when she spoke of how she had treated the dragon so poorly in the past, and how she wanted to make up for it now.

Then there was what Rarity had said to her at the door: how she thought she had been selfish all of this time. _You’re not a selfish pony, Rarity. Not if you feel guilty about hurting Spike’s feelings._ That stern expression that Pinkie held back then returned, as her memories continued to float past her. She walked silently over to Twilight, the other mare failing to notice her approach.

Pinkie Pie sat in front of her friend, continuing to think of how much her elegant friend had changed and matured over these few days that Spike had returned. _He really brings out the best in her, doesn’t he? I really hope that she sees that too._ At that, Pinkie smiled softly. _Probably; otherwise why would she go with him on an adventure like this?_ Finally, she thought of the way that Rarity had stared dumbstruck at her when she had compared Pinkie’s response of thanks with that of Spike’s; it was the same look that she gave Spike whenever he thanked her while he was helping her. _She has to have felt something. That look…_

“But…” continued the pink pony as she made up her mind over what to tell Twilight. It seemed to catch the other mare’s attention, causing Twilight to gaze once more at Pinkie hopefully. “I can tell you that she has a great respect for Spike…and that she does feel differently about him now, though I don’t know by how much.

“I know that you’re probably upset with her for not telling you the truth about the trip they’re taking, but I think that you should think that it means that Rarity is confessing something. She agreed to go with Spike, knowing that it would be dangerous. Would you rather her not go with him and for Spike to go alone?” That question seemed to catch Twilight off guard, making her think about it. _At least he’s with somepony._ “She wanted to go with him and Rarity knew that she would have to; somepony had to go with him.”

“But why didn’t he come to me about it?” Twilight replied, looking up at Pinkie with worry. “Why was it her?”

Pinkie shook her head, not having a good answer for her. “I don’t know…maybe he was afraid of what you’d say, but Rarity told me once about the lengths she went to during the Great Dragon Migration years ago. She didn’t even think twice about leaving to find Spike, and that doesn’t seem to have changed.” Twilight was silent again, seeming to contemplate what Pinkie had said. The pink pony hoped that she had made it through to her.

After a few moments of silence, the horn of the studious mare lit up and the door swung open. “Whatever I choose to believe is behind Rarity’s motives doesn’t matter. All that matters now is finding both Spike and Rarity before it’s too late.” Twilight walked out of her home in front of Pinkie and glanced back at her after. “…thank you, Pinkie. I know that promises are something that you never go against, so thank you for telling me what you can about Rarity. It means a lot.”

The party pony hopped forward, allowing her smile to spread across her face again as she heard her friend’s praise. “No problem, Twilight. Always happy to help a friend!”

Feeling elated at having fixed at least something that was troubling Twilight, Pinkie bounded along the rest of the way to the Cake’s sweet shop. It was cooler out today than it had been yesterday, she noted. Pinkie was thankful that there had been no wind planned for the day too. _Winter is on its way. Oh, I hope that we don’t miss the preparations to welcome winter; the other ponies will think that we’re lazy._

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” shouted the magenta-maned mare as she pushed the double doors open dramatically. The two older ponies jumped from their spots near the counter upon hearing her loud greeting.

Mrs. Cake was the first to regain her composure and she held up a hoof to her muzzle. “Shh, Pinkie. The twins are sleeping; you must be quiet.”

“Oops,” she giggled and covered her own muzzle. Twilight walked in beside her and smiled to the happy parents as the exchange went on. “Sorry, I just get so excited whenever I come here. There’s always so much fun to have here.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. and Mrs. Cake,” Twilight spoke up, standing a few feet ahead of the pink pony. “but Pinkie and I and the rest of our friends need to leave quickly.”

That seemed to catch the two older ponies’ attention. Mrs. Cake stepped out from behind the counter and walked nearer to Pinkie and Twilight, followed quickly by her husband. “Oh, what’s wrong?”

“We think that Spike and Rarity are in trouble.”

The light blue mare held a hoof up to her muzzle, leaning into Mr. Cake when he draped a hoof over her back. “Oh dear. Have you spoken to Sweetie Belle about this?”

Twilight shook her head. “We haven’t really had a chance. I only just returned from hearing what Princess Celestia told me about the situation.”

“Go on up, Pinkie. This sounds serious,” Mr. Cake said, gesturing up the steps toward her room. She nodded and made her way up the staircase. Pinkie hadn’t thought about telling Sweetie Belle about what happened. She had seen the love that Rarity’s little sister had for Rarity back at the train station.

“What do you want us to tell Sweetie Belle about this?” Pinkie heard the yellow stallion ask from the first floor. “I would imagine that she would want to come along if she knew that her sister was in danger.”

“I would prefer that she not know about it, at least until we left…” Their voices faded into a whisper that Pinkie couldn’t identify as she trotted across the hall to her room. At this point she was too consumed in her thoughts to really focus on outside voices anyway. _Poor Sweetie Belle. She’ll be crushed when she finds out. If she was that worried about Rarity leaving for a few weeks, what would she do about this?_

She couldn’t place her attention on that right now though. Pinkie had to make sure that Rarity came back to her sister before something bad happened to her. As the pink mare sorted out her own supplies for the trip, a grin grew on her muzzle. _Spike won’t let anything like that happen to her._ Pinkie brightened with that thought and exclaimed when another one jumped into her mind. “Ooh, and we’ll need some balloons and streamers to celebrate when we find them.” With that thought entering her sporadic mind, Pinkie raced off to her party supplies and began shoving them into her saddlebags.

“So, um…Twilight?” asked Fluttershy as the five friends sat inside the train car. She had taken her spot on the left side of the train, while Twilight and Pinkie took their spots on the right side. The train had come rather quickly, though Twilight had told them that the princess would ensure that they were not harried on their important journey. “So when we arrive at Vanhoover, where do we go?”

“Princess Celestia has a ship waiting for us when we get there.” Once again, Twilight was rifling through that large tome that she had collected from the Golden Oaks Library. It was interesting to Pinkie to see what she was looking at.

“Whoa, really?” replied Rainbow Dash from beside Fluttershy. “She’s really using her power as princess this time.”

Applejack shuffled in her seat next to Pinkie, raising a hoof as she spoke. “It’s not like we could do anythin’ without her help this time. Up until this point we’ve had quests in Equestria. We’ve never needed ta leave the continent before. How long do ya think it’ll take to arrive on the western shore, Twilight?”

“It’s difficult to say. The ship will only take us as far as Starswirl Island. If Princess Celestia can’t arrange for us to ride on a transport ship to ibexian territory, we’ll have to work something out on our own.”

The speedster huffed and sunk back in her seat, crossing her forelegs angrily. “Well that’s great. We couldn’t make it to the Ibexian Tundra on our own and I doubt that we’d be able to carry you two there with us even more.”

“Calm down, Rainbow. It won’t come to that.” Twilight levitated her saddlebags over to her and opened them, unrolling a scroll that looked to Pinkie like the map of the west coast of Equestria. She sat behind the pony, leaning over the back board of her seat to glance over her shoulder. “Even if the princess can’t make a deal with the ibexes, there might be another way to gain passage to the western continent.”

“Ooh! What would that be?” asked Pinkie, becoming more excited by the prospect of a secret way to accomplish what they set out to do. Her sudden hopping managed to startle Applejack.

“Whoa there, pony girl. Settle down, or you’ll start to rock the whole train car.”

Pinkie giggled and waved a hoof at the farm mare. “Oh, come on, Applejack. That’s impossible. I couldn’t manage to rock the whole train car, although I kind of always wanted to try. Do you wanna help me, Fluttershy?”

From the other side of the car, the timid pegasus hid slightly behind her mane. “Um…no thank you, Pinkie. Oh, I…I’m sorry if I’m no fun, but I think trying that might just injure ponies.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” The pink pony sat back on her haunches, hanging her forelegs over the back board to glance over Twilight’s shoulder. _Besides, I’m too hungry to concentrate on something like that._

“To answer your question, Pinkie,” the lavender alicorn replied, folding up what appeared to be a map of the world and all of its continents. “Starswirl Island is one of the major trade docks for Equestria. If Princess Celestia is unsuccessful with a transport straight to the Ibexian Tundra, we should be able to barter passage by some other ship.”

“Well, that’s good. I wonder what Starswirl Island looks like. A star or a swirl?” Pinkie giggled playfully when the others raised their eyebrows at her.

Rainbow Dash grumbled and slid off of her seat next to Fluttershy. “I’m bored. I’m gonna go eat something. I suppose when we reach Vanhoover we’re not going to have an opportunity to have a meal in Equestria for a while.”

“Ooh, ooh!” cried Pinkie as her cerulean eyes widened with enthusiasm. “Yeah, I’m getting mighty hungry thinking of all the stuff we can do when we get to where we’re going. So many things to see and ponies to meet, I’ll need to make sure I have enough energy to keep going.”

“Trust me, Pinkie,” laughed Applejack from beside her. “Ah think ya’ll have enough energy to keep goin’ for a very long time.”

The little pony beamed at her and bounced out of her seat and into the isle. “Thanks, Applejack. Are you coming too?” She waited to hear Applejack’s response, but the starved look in the orange mare’s eyes was answer enough.

“Well shoot, ah might as well. Might build up quite the appetite when ah get there and see what they’ve got in the way of food.”

Pinkie giggled and glanced at Fluttershy and Twilight as Applejack went ahead to the other room with the cerulean pegasus. “Are you guys coming too? Come on, we don’t have all day.”

“I’m not hungry, girls,” Twilight responded, not looking up from the book held in her magic. “I need to make sure that we have everything that we need to make this work. I’ll eat something later.”

Fluttershy herself sat up from her position inside the train car and waved a hoof. She held a light smile on her face as Pinkie began to bounce again. “Oh, and I had a big lunch before we left for Twilight’s house. I should be fine for a few hours.”

“Suit yourself. Come on, guys. Let’s get some food.”

“Right behind you, Rainbow!”

When the three ponies entered the nearest dining car, Pinkie saw that the tables were empty. It was odd to her that a public train would have no passengers other than the five of them and the train staff onboard; however, Pinkie recalled that Twilight had mentioned the princess sending the car on ahead to cut down on their waiting time. _I hope that no ponies were inconvenienced by her doing that. I wonder why she did that at all actually._

“So ya’ll, what do ya think you’ll git?” Applejack asked, sauntering up to the food bar to await a staff member.

“What won’t I be getting? I’m starved!” yelled Rainbow Dash, pounding on the counter for somepony to take her order.

“I don’t know,” Pinkie said, humming to herself as she scanned the list of meals. “That’s really difficult to say. I kind of like Rainbow’s idea. That way I can have one of everything and choose what I should have for next time. I should have enough bits.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “You, Pinkie, I can believe would actually eat all of that, but Rainbow Dash, not so much.”

The cerulean mare froze, her hoof raised in the air to slam down on the counter. One of the staff ponies came over to the other side of the counter, but he stopped too, probably seeing the look on her face. Pinkie couldn’t see her friend’s expression, standing behind her, but she had known her long enough to know what she probably looked like right now. _Uh oh…this isn’t good._

“Is that a challenge?” Rainbow Dash whispered, turning her head to glare at the farm pony.

“No,” the orange mare quickly answered. Pinkie sighed, happy that Applejack wasn’t egging her on. “It’d be a challenge if I wasn’t sure that you wouldn’t be able to eat everything on the menu.” _Then again,_ Pinkie thought, slapping her hoof to her face and dragging her hoof back to the ground. _Then again again, it would be kinda interesting to watch._

The speedy mare smirked back at Applejack and extended her wings. “You’re on.”

Giving up on preventing such a competition as this, Pinkie smiled at the two of her friends. “I think we’ll have three of everything,” she said to the pony at the counter. Once he left, a little disturbed at the pink mare’s order, Pinkie turned back to the two ponies readying themselves for yet another contest. “I call score keeper!”

By the time the competition was over, the tables were littered with dirty dishes and uneaten sweets. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were holding their stomachs, barely able to sit up. They placed a hoof on the table nearest them to stabilize themselves. “So…Pinkie…” the cerulean mare asked, struggling to keep her stomach from growling. “Who’s the winner?”

Pinkie sat on a chair before the two of them, her plates cleaned of food except for one. She stuffed another cupcake into her mouth as she thought about the scores. She began to count them off on her hooves and do some math in the air. “Let’s see…carry the pie, add the three cookies, split the cupcakes…”

Applejack turned to the rainbow speedster and gestured toward Pinkie. “What is she talkin’ about?” Rainbow shook her head and waved a dismissive hoof in her direction, before placing it on her stomach again.

“Just…just let her count them up. You and I both know that we wouldn’t get it if she tried to explain.”

Pinkie bounced up in victory, smiling at her two friends. “Aha! I have it.” In return, Rainbow and Applejack grinned at each other smugly. The rainbow-maned pegasus was the first to turn back to face Pinkie.

“Great. What’s it say?”

“Who won?” Applejack asked, shuffling closer to the party pony’s table.

“The winner is…nopony!” Pinkie threw her hooves in the air and giggled at the expressions on her friend’s faces. In response, both of their eyes widened to the size of saucers.

“What!?”

Shoving another cupcake into her mouth, the magenta-maned mare nodded her head. She shifted in her seat and went for another sweet. “Yeah. You’re tied, once again…for most extreme dessert eating pony!”

“Ugh!” Applejack cried in annoyance and discomfort. She fell backward onto her back, holding her stomach and laying on her side. “I’m so full…I’ve got cramps everywhere.”

“I have more cramps than you,” Rainbow grumbled beside her, having joined her on the floor shortly after. Pinkie had to fight off the urge to giggle at the ponies in front of her, overwhelmed by the contest.

“Put a sock in it, Rainbow.”

“Well, I was still impressed with you guys,” reassured Pinkie, pushing herself up and coming to sit in between the two full ponies. “You sure can eat a lot.”

Applejack sat back up and chuckled at the pink pony before her. “Not as much as you, Pinkie. Ah think we can both agree on who really won this competition.” Pinkie tilted her head in confusion and turned to Rainbow as she struggled to pull herself up as well.

“Yeah. I gotta be fair, Pinkie. Since I’m a Wonderbolt, you beat us.”

“Huh? What do you mean? I’m just the referee.”

Her friends chuckled at her. Applejack smiled at her and repositioned her Stetson on her head. “Yeah, and ya’ll were eatin’ more than us throughout that entire time while you recorded what we ate.”

Pinkie shrugged her shoulders and grabbed her last cookie in her hoof. “But I wasn’t recording what _I_ ate.”

“Well, yer still eating, and y’all aren’t showing any signs of cramps for it.”

“That’s true. I have been practicing eating for a long time.” She giggled and bit into the cookie, eliciting laughter from the two ponies. Rainbow Dash stood up on her hooves and took a few steps to the side.

“Well, at least _you_ stood up to your claim. You ate more than both of us combined.”

“Ah shucks, you guys. You’re gonna make me blush.”

“I believe she’s eaten more,” one of them staff members said, holding up an empty cupcake tray. “She’s eaten every last dessert we have.”

The pony’s turned to one another and giggled nervously. Pinkie looked toward the stallion and raised her hooves up to shrug at him. “Oops.”

Upon disembarking from the train, Pinkie’s eyes widened with wonder. “Wow!”

Vanhoover was breathtaking. Pinkie had never visited any cities south of Ponyville, and the fact that this city was just on the tip of the continent near the ocean only made it more beautiful. She had seen cities that were built on the shore before, such as Manehattan to the north, but there were several tall buildings in the way of the water and tons of dockyards with trade ships that ruined the atmosphere.

Here the beaches and the sand castles that ponies made could be seen and the waves washing upon the shore could be heard without too much city noise present to drown it out. Of course that wasn’t the case everywhere, but for the party mare it was enough to make her smile. _Maybe we could come here sometime for a vacation. Well, after we find Rarity and Spike of course._

The five ponies kept on walking through the large city, discussing other tactics for reaching the western continent if Celestia was unable to contact the ibex. Twilight was relatively silent however, Pinkie noticed. Her smile dropped some, concern for her friend showing itself on her features. _She’s probably too worried about Spike to hear any of us. Twilight is probably going through every possible way to get to him right now._

She could surely understand the alicorn’s dilemma. The pink pony would do anything to rescue Gummy if he was in trouble. Pinkie thought that she had the same sort of bond with her toothless alligator that Twilight had with Spike; knowing that just made her want to help the lavender pony more.

“Is this where Princess Celestia told us to meet?” Fluttershy asked suddenly, breaking the silence that had gathered around the mares briefly. They all stopped and looked to the dockyard to their left. Ponies walked along the harbour, seen to be carrying bags or boxes or possible shipments; either just having come back from a trip across the sea or about to embark on one. There were numerous ships tied up at the pier, most having names such as _The Sea Mare,_ or _The Water Prancer, The Shore Skimmer_ or _The Ocean Emerald._

Applejack nodded her head and began to walk ahead to Twilight. “Yeah, ah think so, Fluttershy. Twilight, have y’all had any messages from the princess yet…about when we get to Starswirl Island?” Pinkie turned from staring at a rather large vessel called _The Trident Galloper_ to listen for her friend’s response. Twilight walked forward a few more steps, passing two sailor ponies with bags slung over their backs, before glancing back at them.

She shook her head and gazed off at the water. “No. Not yet. I don’t know what’s taking so long, though. It’s already been a day since we left Ponyville and we need to know if it’s necessary to look to other transport methods than a trade ship. I hope she’s successful.” Twilight tilted her head to stare at them, her stress from the situation etched onto her face. “This would be the fastest way to get there.”

Pinkie watched Rainbow take off into the air and land on Twilight’s left side, putting a hoof around her in an attempt to cheer her up. “Ah, I’m sure she’ll have the boat waiting for us when we get there. No sweat.”

“Rainbow Dash is right,” the farm mare nodded, turning to stare at Pinkie and Fluttershy who still stood back. “We just need to find that boat that Princess Celestia told you about, uh… _The Sea Princess_ , right? We just find it and sail on over to the border.”

The group began to move again, Pinkie noticing Fluttershy take to the air to speak with the others as well. “Hopefully we can catch up to Rarity and Spike, taking this route.”

“And I haven’t ever known the princess to break her word,” Pinkie put in, grinning madly and bouncing up to match Twilight’s stride. “I’m sure that her message will arrive shortly. Then we can have a super long voyage across the ocean and get attacked by pirates or sea creatures…or something.” She placed a hoof over the studious pony’s back, trying to prevent whatever concern she was feeling for the unicorn and dragon from becoming too overwhelming.

Twilight smiled back at her friends and picked up the pace a little as they searched the dockyard for the boat that they were told to find. “You’re right, you guys,” she replied, walking down the platform to the end of the first row of boats. The wooden walkway was not so broad over this way, so Pinkie and Fluttershy needed to form a second line behind Applejack and Twilight. Rainbow simply flew at the front of the ponies as they searched.

Princess Celestia had mentioned _The Sea Princess_ to the lavender alicorn in a letter sent while they were on the train to Vanhoover. When Pinkie had returned from the eating competition to see what Fluttershy and Twilight were up to, she had told them that this vessel would be what carried them to the border.

It was here at the end of the dockyard that the five ponies found what they were looking for. For a vessel simply meant to carry them to Starswirl Island, Pinkie thought that it was rather large; a gorgeous looking ship no doubt, but the magenta-maned pony was no judge of ships. _I’ve rarely ever seen any, but I’m sure that Rarity would be impressed with this one._

To Pinkie it appeared to be a luxury cruise ship, going to some faraway tropical island, like those pictures that the white unicorn showed her every so often. She knew it would be the kind of boat that Rarity would love to be on. _The Sea Princess_ had a pristine white finish, with a thin line of blue and pink painted horizontally around the entirety of the vessel. The name of the boat was painted above that line in black letters on the right side.

Ponies worked and walked about on and around it, packing up their equipment and supplies for the trip around the continent. Pinkie raised an eyebrow, watching some of them hoist the gear up or down. _At least I think that’s what they’re doing._ One of the stallions caught their eyes and smiled down at them from the deck of the ship.

“Princess Twilight,” he greeted, bowing out of respect for the alicorn. He was a smaller stallion, not nearly as big as Applejack’s brother Big Macintosh; however, he was still broad of shoulder. He wore a blue tricorn hat and a blue coat, overtop a white sailor’s uniform. The pony had a sturdy face, though it was short and broad, and he seemed to have a few scars on his chin and cheek. As he bowed, Pinkie saw that Twilight still looked uncomfortable at the gesture, but the stallion quickly stood up again. “’Tis a pleasure to meet you at last. We’re just about to shove off for Starswirl Island, if you’re ready. We can’t leave without the most important package to deliver now, can we?” He laughed and looked to Pinkie and the others as well. “You and your friends are welcome upon my ship.”

Twilight nodded her gratitude for this pony’s assistance and stepped forward. “Thank you, captain. I’m sorry that we had to be troubling you today.” The five friends made their way up the plank, greeting the stallion and gazing about at the deck of the boat.

_Wow, super spacious,_ thought Pinkie Pie, grinning from ear to ear. _And it’s all ours to explore. This is just like a luxury cruise! Oh wait ‘til I tell Rarity about this, she’ll be so jealous._ She giggled into her hoof and kept the bounce in her step as she waited for the ship to depart. Pinkie watched the pony wave a hoof in dismissal at Twilight’s apology.

“No trouble, princess. I’m always up for a little something different from the usual ol’ boring trips. This old girl’s been bored out of her mind,” he said, tapping a hoof along the boat’s edge. “Just taking tourists around the coasts, doing some little shipments here and there; I’m not too keen on getting back to that either, once this is finished. When Princess Celestia contacted me about this little quest you were on, my crew and I jumped at the opportunity. A bit of change goes a long way.”

“So did the princess tell y’all about what the quest is about?” Applejack questioned, shifting the saddlebag on her back into a more comfortable position.

“She told me what she needed to in her letters, to get me to agree,” he smiled at the group and waved a hoof in the air as he seemed to recall. “Something about a rescue mission on the western continent. Your friends, I assumed. Other than that she didn’t say, and I wasn’t about to pry into something that’s none of my business.”

Twilight stepped forward, ahead of the others, and shook the pony’s hoof. “Well, we’re all really glad and thankful that you could make the trip, captain…”

Realization seemed to flash in his eyes as he placed his free hoof beside his head. “Oh! Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. My name’s Vem Seafarer, or Vem the Pirate as some may refer. Don’t let the name fool you though. I ain’t a pirate no more and neither are my crew, though pirates are still around. You’d best be careful aboard this boat; might be some of my old crew mates come back for me.”

He chuckled and began to walk over to the door, which appeared to lead to the lower decks of the vessel. Pinkie was bouncing from his upbeat attitude, already telling that this would be a great journey. She followed along with her friends as Vem led them along. “Were you really a pirate?”

“’Course I was,” he grinned back at her, pausing in his stride to allow a few crewmen to trot up to the deck. “The entire crew and this ship were once part of a pirate crew, though we’ve turned it around now. I don’t have any doubts about tellin’ ya five that either.”

“Well, if Princess Celestia trusts you to take us to where we need to go…I’m sure that we can trust you too.” Fluttershy smiled timidly at the former pirate, shifting her wings around, probably to account for the changing winds.

The captain of _The Sea Princess_ grinned back at her and stood up straight. “Exactly. I like her; she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Might I inquire as to what your name is?”

“I’m Fluttershy,” she responded. As Pinkie watched the exchange, something clicked in her mind.

“Oh my gosh!” she shouted, startling the ponies around her as she bounded up to Fluttershy’s side. “We totally didn’t give you our names. You know Twilight, but not any of us. I’m Pinkie Pie and this is Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Nice to meet you, Mr. Former Pirate Vem.”

He grinned at each of them as their names were listed off, tilting his tricorn hat in their direction. “It’s good to meet all of you. And…Former Pirate Vem, huh? That’s a new one. Anyway, you gals must be starved for some lunch.” Vem continued on his way down the steps to the lower decks, followed by the five mares.

“Well, we did only have a small breakfast before we left the train,” Rainbow said from behind Pinkie. The pink pony heard Applejack scoff in front of her and look back over her shoulder to chuckle.

“Yeah, after we had that huge competition ah’m sure yer mighty hungry.” With a smile on her face, the orange mare turned back to watch where she was going after a few seconds. “That’s mighty kind of ya, Vem. Will we be able to meet some of the crew too?”

“Oh, I’m sure you will eventually. They’ll be around, but I’ll introduce you to some of them as they come along.” The stallion reached the end of the stairs and led them over to what Pinkie assumed was the meal area. It was just as luxurious and large as the deck was.

There were tables and chairs placed along the sides of the lower decks, with yet another food table set up in the center of the room. Triangular in shape and set up with all sorts of snacks like hay fries, with a single pony that most likely made out orders or grabbed the snacks for passengers. They were alone on this boat though, so he seemed a little bored. Pinkie on the other hoof, only grinned wider.

She licked her lips excitedly, seeing all of the food ready to be eaten. _So many snacks…all meant for just us. No lines or waiting times. Yummy!_

“Hey True Blue,” Vem called as he set a hoof on the side of the table, breaking Pinkie from her salivating over the food. “Set these five mares up with some of your best dishes. We gotta get a move on.”

The pony at the counter didn’t seem quite as strong as Vem, though he still seemed like he could hold his own against a stronger opponent. His mane was an indigo colour, cut short and kept neat against his head; he wore a white sailor outfit over his lighter cerulean coat and his eyes were a deep green. His form was slim, though not too skinny to seem unhealthy; True Blue’s eyes were kind and his face was fair.

The pony nodded his head in response and began work on their meals. “Sure thing, Captain Vem. It’s nice to meet you ponies.” He caught the sight of Twilight and quickly lowered his head. “My apologies, princess. It is an honour to meet you aboard the ship.”

“Please don’t,” she called out, causing the pony to glance back up at her in confusion. “It’s alright, really. You don’t need to bow or anything.”

Vem chuckled from the counter beside True Blue. “Really, a princess who doesn’t like ponies bowing to her? Interesting. True Blue, I think this is going to be a grand adventure; shan’t keep it waiting for us now. You ponies enjoy your meal, while I get this old girl running again.” He began to walk back over to the upper decks, waving back to the six ponies present.

“Thanks, captain.” Rainbow saluted stiffly, flapping her wings to stay airborne. The captain turned back around and stared up at the cerulean pegasus for a moment.

“Careful there,” he spoke, lifting a hoof in her direction. “You’ll poke your own eye out.” He smiled at them and left, leaving Pinkie to giggle at the surprised look on the cerulean pegasi’s face.

The blue coated stallion quickly served up the meals for each of them, all a bit different from the last one as well. Pinkie’s was scrumptious, some sort of pasta, but her mind was elsewhere. She was still concerned about how Twilight was taking the situation with Rarity and Spike and the lavender pony wasn’t talking very much. The pink mare could tell that Fluttershy and Applejack noticed her subdued attitude as well.

_I hope that she’s not being too hard on Rarity for not telling her what Spike was really doing._ She looked through one of the windows of the meal area and saw the different kinds of fish swimming about below the waves as the boat continued on toward its destination. Rainbow and Applejack were conversing to one another as they ate, though Pinkie didn’t pick up what it was that they were talking about.

She returned to her food, but suddenly she wasn’t so hungry. Pinkie took the fork in her hoof, filled with the delectable food. _Where ever they are, I just hope that those two are alright._


	18. Chapter 18

Sweetie

“Sweetie Belle!” called a voice from the front of the boutique. The pink- and purple-maned pony looked up from her bed to stare out of her door. She heard knocking from below as her ears picked up on the familiar voice. “Sweetie Belle, ah need ta talk to you!”

_Applebloom?_ she thought with a tilt of her head. Sweetie sighed and pushed herself up from her blanket, making her way slowly down the steps to the front door. Her horn lit up in a light green aura and the door swung open. “What is it, Applebloom? I thought you had chores to do or something.”

“There’s something way more important than that.” The farm pony seemed out of breath, as if she had run here straight from Sweet Apple Acres. _She might have,_ Sweetie thought. _But what could she want?_

“We don’t have another crusaders meeting until next week. What else is there?” she asked, raising her hoof in a questioning manner. The white unicorn watched patiently as her friend finally caught her breath.

The expression that followed Applebloom’s winded appearance shocked Sweetie into silence. She was worried about telling her about whatever it was, and that in turn brought all sorts of concerns to Sweetie Belle’s mind. “It’s about yer sister.”

The mare’s eyes widened. “What?! What happened? Did something happen along their trip to the Griffin Kingdom?” Her heart was immediately panicking within her chest, Sweetie Belle terrified at the prospect of something happening to her older sister.

“Ah don’t know. Can ah come in?”

Sweetie nodded and stepped aside to let Applebloom through, following the pony swiftly as she sat down near the kitchen. “Now ah don’t have all the details or anything, ah only heard a few things that Applejack told Big Macintosh.”

“What did she say?”

“Well, ta be clear, ah probably came in a little late to the conversation.” She paused again to lean in closer and continue on in a low voice, “Ah didn’t hear everything that they talked about because ah was tryin’ ta hear what they were sayin’ without bein’ seen, but ah heard that Rarity’s and Spike’s plan to go to the Griffin Kingdom isn’t true.”

“What!?” Sweetie screamed, hearing her voice increase in volume and pitch. She shuffled closer to the earth mare before her. “What do you mean they aren’t going there? Where would they go?”

Applebloom bit her lower lip. “Applejack said that they were goin’ ta find dragons.”

Sweetie Belle prepared to yell at her friend’s words again, but her breath caught in her throat as she thought of something. Her breathing was still ragged from the stress, but a conversation between her and her sister resurfaced in her mind. _Rarity and Spike, going off to find dragons,_ she mused. _Sis told me that Spike wanted to know about dragons, but she said after the first time he wouldn’t try again._ The unicorn began to pace around the kitchen in a circle, working out the situation in her mind.

“Sweetie Belle, are you alright?”

_Rarity must really like him, to agree to go with Spike to find dragons._ She found herself smiling about this, despite the possibly dangerous situation. The white pony returned her attention to yellow pony, who seemed to be worried about her lack of a response. “What else did Applejack say?”

“She said that they’d likely be away for a few weeks. They’re goin’ ta find Spike and Rarity and bring ‘em back.” It was then that Sweetie noticed the almost empty saddlebag on Applebloom’s back.

_And as usual you want to go find them,_ she guessed. Sweetie trotted in front of her friend and sat back down again, feeling a little better about what was going on. _I’m still curious though._ “They’re going to find them? How do they know where to go? If they aren’t going to the griffin lands, then how can they be sure that they are headed elsewhere?”

“Twilight went to see Princess Celestia. She told her where to go, but ah can’t remember where exactly. All ah really heard was that they were goin’ ta catch a train that the princess was sending them.”

“And what’s in the saddlebags?”

With that question in the air the red-maned mare removed the bags from her back and brought them to rest between them. “Ah didn’t really have much time back at the farm to get any food, so it’s just a few snacks.” Applebloom pulled open the flap and smiled softly at the mare. “Ah was thinking that ah’d be able to grab more from here.” The yellow mare jumped up from her seat and smiled with determination. “After all, we’ll need some food for the trip.”

“Trip? You don’t mean to follow them.” Sweetie Belle pushed herself up as well, becoming worried again at what was going on. _Of course you mean to follow them._

“O’ course!” The farm pony nodded rapidly, resting a hoof on Sweetie’s shoulder as she stepped closer. “Our sisters are in trouble, and ah refuse ta be left out of another adventure because we’re too little. We’re practically the age they were when they started goin’ on quests.”

“Are you sure we’d even be able to pull this off? What about the train?”

Applebloom waved her concerns away with a fore hoof, still appearing resolute in her conviction. “Ah’m sure that we can sneak on. We’ve managed to sneak onto trains before with Spike and even worse things than that.” The farm pony trotted over to the refrigerator and the cupboards, packing away frozen foods and snacks into her bags. “Now come on, we’ve still gotta tell Scootaloo about this.”

Sweetie Belle watched as her friend prepared for the perilous trip of following their sisters into the unknown, thinking over the situation. _Sis…you didn’t tell any of us where you were going._ She thought back to all of the conversations that she and Rarity had about Spike, whether it was about his helpfulness or how cute Rarity said that he was; how he had always offered to carry her groceries, or how the white unicorn had gone after him without question when he left to find dragons the first time.

She smiled at the fond memories that she thought the two of them shared. _Both of you have done so much for each other…I can see why you would agree to go with him Rarity, but now it’s my turn to save you._

With her mind made up, the pink- and purple-maned pony turned around and headed for the staircase. “I’ll be right back. I need to grab my saddlebags too.”

The three friends walked up the dirt road from Rarity’s boutique, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom having raced over to the orange pegasus’ house once they had finished packing. Now the friends were working out how to go about accompanying their sisters secretly.

“Alright girls, we’ve gotta be sneaky,” Sweetie said. “We can’t let anypony see us while we do this.”

“Do ya think that the train will still be there when we arrive?”

The white unicorn glanced back at Applebloom briefly, before returning to look out for any of her sister’s friends. _If we’re spotted now, with these saddlebags full of supplies, they’ll surely piece things together._ “Did Applejack say when the train would be leaving?”

“No. Ah would guess that it would leave once all of them are on board. Ah think Princess Celestia sent the train ahead just for them, so that they’d have a better chance of finding Spike and Rarity.”

“That would make sense, I guess.” Scootaloo glanced off to the side and gasped loudly. “Girls, quick, Fluttershy’s coming up the road.”

“Hide. In the bushes,” whispered Sweetie Belle, jumping into the shrubs by the side of the road. Her two friends joined her in quick succession and the unicorn strained her ears to hear if the shy mare had spotted them.

“I hope I have everything that I need,” Fluttershy mused as she walked past. “And I hope that I’m not too late. Better pick up the pace just to be safe.” Sweetie Belle glanced through the bushes to see her galloping off in the direction of the train station. She walked out cautiously, making sure that no other ponies were around to spot them with their saddlebags on.

“Alright, girls. We have a little bit of time, but we can’t be slow. If Fluttershy is the last one to get over there, that means they’ll be leaving soon.” They began to trot down the street, checking the alleyways and the roads for any of the rescue party.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said, smirking as she picked up her pace. “And we have to be on that train too.”

“Well, I hope that you have a plan for getting onto the train Applebloom. The train crew probably isn’t expecting any other passengers this time.” Sweetie Belle matched the speedster’s stride, nervously waving a hoof toward Lucky Clover and Cherry Blossom as they walked past.

Applebloom nodded to the unicorn and turned into the alleyway just before the train station. “Of course ah do.”

The three mares caught their breath and snuck down to the other end of the street to spot the train parked at the station. It was only a three car train, probably an emergency train placed together for this dire situation. _I wonder why the princess is going to all of this trouble,_ Sweetie Belle thought. _She’s never really used her power as princess before this._

“We’ve gotta hitch a ride on the caboose,” the yellow mare spoke up, shaking Sweetie from her thoughts. Applebloom pointed a hoof at the platform on the end of the train line. “From there we’ll sneak in and ride the train down to wherever our sisters are goin’.”

“I like it,” complimented Scootaloo, seeming to become excited at the prospect of another secret mission. The white pony couldn’t deny that she enjoyed going on these types of trips, but she was more worried about her sister at this point. “We’ve done this sort of thing before anyway, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Yeah, those conductors don’t really pay attention when they check the cars.” Applebloom wandered out into the open and turned back to wave Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo forward. “Come on, ah don’t see anypony on the platform. They must already be inside. We gotta hurry!”

As quietly as possible, the three mares trotted over to the back of the train. Nopony else was around this side of town, thankfully, so they had no trouble. As Sweetie Belle made it onto the train, the horn blew and the train began to pull out of the station. The orange pegasus galloped and managed to fly onto the railing of the caboose, Sweetie helping her up afterward. Applebloom was still galloping for the train, but it was steadily picking up speed.

“Come on, Applebloom!” cried Scootaloo, holding out an orange hoof for her to grab. “You can gallop faster than that.” Sweetie Belle readied her magic to pull her friend aboard, seeing the determined expression crossing the farm pony’s face.

Applebloom drew closer, almost inches from the train car. She was straining to keep up, but the look on her face never left as she seemed to focus on the Scootaloo’s foreleg. The red-maned pony jumped, reaching out with her hoof to grab onto Scootaloo’s. Sweetie Belle worked fast and used her magic to pull her friend up and over the rail, safely setting her down on the wooden floor.

All three of them were breathing heavily, sitting down hard on the floor of the caboose, but Sweetie was glad that they had made it without injury. Once she had caught her breath, the unicorn stared at the door to the inside. She pushed herself up and tried the handle. _Locked,_ she thought grimly. The wind was quickly picking up outside and Sweetie Belle thought that it probably wasn’t a good idea to stay here while they were hiding.

“Now what?” she heard Applebloom question behind her.

Scootaloo walked up beside the unicorn. “Is the door locked?”

“Yeah, but I should be able to unlock it. Hold on.” Sweetie focused her vision on the door handle and imagined where the lock on the handle would be on the other side of the door. Her horn began to glow and within a few moments, she heard the click of the lock jiggle open. She smiled and pushed the door open, stepping in and aside so that the others could enter as well.

Once everypony was inside, the white pony turned the lock again, so that nopony suspected a break-in. “Well, we’re here. Nice job, Sweetie Belle,” the orange mare began, looking around at the bed and the other décor of the caboose. “Do you think we should move up to the center car or something?”

“Probably,” Applebloom said, nodding her head in agreement. “There aren’t many places to hide here, bein’ so cramped.”

“We’ll just have to be careful not to get caught by anypony.” Sweetie Belle trotted forward quietly, peering through the window on the door. It seemed to be a dining car, given that there was a counter for ordering on one side of the room. The mare spun around to face her friends proudly. “We owe both Rarity and Spike for how we ended up the way we did. We wouldn’t still be crusaders if it weren’t for my sister, so we can’t be sent back.”

“Yeah, and Spike was always happy to talk with us about how our club was going.” Scootaloo stood beside the mare, keeping her attention on the handle. “What do you think, Sweetie Belle?”

“I’ll go in first and see if everything’s empty. I’ll call you in when I think it’s okay.” The others nodded to her with slight concern on their faces. Sweetie Belle smiled and turned around, pushing the door open with her magic, just enough for her to squeeze through.

The floor was carpeted in this room, unlike the unfurnished wooden floor of the caboose. Tables and chairs were placed on the right side of the dining car and light shone in from the afternoon sun through the train’s windows. She made sure to remain hidden behind a table or chair as she surveyed the area, just in case somepony appeared at the counter or through the opposite side door.

After several moments of nopony entering, the white unicorn thought that it was safe to bring her friends in. She stayed low however, still being careful not to make any noises. Sweetie lit up her horn and turned the handle of the door, motioning for the others to stay low to the ground. They sat down at the edge of the tables and chairs and discussed how this would happen.

“How long do you think we’ll be on this train for?” Applebloom asked.

The orange pony shook her head, looking concerned. “I don’t know. How do we even know that Twilight and the others will be getting off at the _end_ of the train ride? They could make a stop on the way, and then we won’t even know.”

“We’ll jus’ have ta make sure that we don’t miss our jump off point,” the farm mare answered, glancing over her shoulder at the counter. Sweetie herself always kept it in her peripheral vision, making sure to alert her friends should a mare or stallion walk up to check if anypony was around. “Ah’m sure that if we just look out the window we’ll spot ‘em leavin’ if we stop.”

“Yeah, but we’ll have a more difficult time of it than they will,” Scootaloo countered. “We will have to leave through the back again, and who knows how populated the next station will be.”

“Alright,” Applebloom grumbled, throwing up her hooves in exasperation. “So ah didn’t think this plan through far enough, but we had ta do somethin’. Our sisters are in trouble and we’re old enough now ta help ‘em if they need us.”

_I hope we’ll be fast enough to help my sister,_ Sweetie Belle thought. She wasn’t really paying much attention to the two ponies arguing in front of her, she was more consumed by her fears about where her sister and Spike were and making sure that the three of them were not caught. Her eyes focused on the door at the other side of the train car, seeing the knob turning.

She gasped, alerting Scootaloo and Applebloom to the situation. “Girls, quick. Somepony’s coming. I have an idea, but you two have to stay still.” She shut her eyes and focused on her magic, hoping that her friends had listened to her and remained seated. _Come on,_ she thought frantically, putting all of her thoughts into casting this spell. _If this was anytime to use this spell, let it work._

Sweetie Belle opened her eyes again, seeing that the door was swinging shut again. Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow had entered the room and were making their way over to the counter.

“Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo whispered, crouching down below the table. “What did you do?”

The pink- and purple-maned mare put a hoof up to her muzzle to silence her. “It seems to be working so far. I disguised our presence like Twilight did at the crusaders meeting. Hopefully we’ll be just as invisible.”

“You can do that for all three of us?” Applebloom asked quietly, interest and an impressed look clear on her face.

“It’s one of the simplest spells. As long as we remain still and out of the way, I could keep this spell up for hours.” The others seemed truly impressed with her solution to this problem, though they still looked nervous as they looked to their sisters and friends.

Sweetie Belle could understand their stress, brought on by what she had said. _Hopefully, we won’t need to move at all and nopony will bump into us by accident._ She bit her lip and watched as the three mares made their way over to the dining area. They sat down a few tables across from her location, allowing the white pony to take some comfort.

“What are they doin’?” Applebloom asked in a low tone, most likely unable to see them from where she was sitting. To the unicorn, it appeared like the three mares had ordered plates full of sweets.

“Alright, everypony,” she heard Pinkie announce suddenly, facing away from Sweetie and her friends. The pink mare was seated in front of the other two, sitting in a chair before two tables. Applejack sat at one table with a tray of food and Rainbow Dash sat at the other. “What we have here is another ‘most extreme pony’ challenge!”

“What?” the pink- and purple-maned mare whispered in confusion, never hearing about this type of pony challenge before. The others seemed to know where this was leading, glancing at one another with excited faces before looking back.

“This time it’s a ‘most extreme _eating_ pony’ challenge!” the party mare continued, appearing to shuffle along on her seat. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. _Well, that explains the what. If only I knew the why._ Pinkie kept on with her introductions, though the mare shut out the noise after a while, not being interested to see who could stuff the most food in their mouths. _I’m pretty sure that Rarity would feel the same way._

The speedster and the farm mare seemed to be paying close attention to the competition, as the eating began. Her two friends traded challenges about who would win and how much their respective sister would eat. The white pony sighed and sat back on her haunches, wondering how her sister was doing at this point. _Wherever she is,_ she thought glumly. _I hope that she’s having a better time than I am right now._

Time passed as the three friends sat near the tables of the dining car, the unicorn taking to staring at the interior of the train car. Eventually the competition found its champion. However, to the chagrin of Applebloom and Scootaloo, it wasn’t either of their sisters. Once Applejack and Rainbow were able to stand and walk again, Sweetie Belle watched the other mares leave through the opposite door again. Sighing in relief that the ordeal was over, the unicorn let down her illusion and stood up from her spot on the carpeted floor. _Carpeted or not,_ she grumbled. _That was far too long to be sitting._ “Girls, I’m going to check the other car.”

“Huh? Why? We just got out of being caught by them.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah, but we know next to nothing about what’s going on. We know that my sister and Spike are in trouble, but other than that we have no way to get to where they are if we get separated.”

After a few moments, the yellow mare stood and nodded. “Ah agree with Sweetie Belle. If we do lose them we should have a little information to get back on track.”

“I suppose,” Scootaloo conceded, scratching her neck with a forehoof. “That way we don’t need to run the risk of being spotted while tailing them. If we know which way they’re going, we can go there ourselves and wait for them.”

Applebloom grinned and lifted a hoof. “Exactly. Now hurry up.” The three ponies made their way up to the door cautiously, standing on either side so as not to be hit should it open. She turned back to stare at the unicorn. “Sweetie Belle, can you cast that spell again? When we’re in there, we can just sit and listen to them talk.”

Sweetie nodded in response. “I think so. It might be a little tricky, because I can only cast it on non-moving things. A moving illusion would take way more magic and I don’t think that I could manage that for very long.”

“So, we’ll have to sneak in, making sure that we’re not caught right at the door, find a hiding spot behind the seats and then have Sweetie Belle cast the spell.” Scootaloo grinned at her thought out idea for a plan. “Sounds cool to me.”

“Of course it sounds cool to you,” Applebloom countered, looking cross at the pegasus. She glanced over to Sweetie Belle, who was still going over the complicated plan that her friend had suggested. “What matters is that Sweetie Belle here thinks that she can pull this off. What do you think? It depends on your ability to cast the spell in time.”

The pink- and purple-maned mare gulped and thought it through. If the three ponies managed to sneak through the door without being spotted, the rest of the operation was quite simple. _I just hope that they’re all distracted enough to not see the door swing open._ Sweetie Belle stood up straight and lined up with the door, waiting for the others to do the same. “The hard part is getting through. If we do that, I shouldn’t have trouble with recasting the spell on us.”

“Awesome,” the speedster replied, putting a hoof around the mare’s shoulder. “You should go first, since you can set up the spell while we sneak through after. We’ll be right behind you.”

Sweetie Belle nodded in understanding and took deep breaths to calm her nerves. She had seen her sister do this whenever she was stressed with an order or when something didn’t go quite the way she had hoped. _It’s never really worked before for me, but,_ she paused, staring directly at the door, shut before her. _I have to make sure that I know where Rarity is, before we might be split up._

Without waiting for another wave of nervous shivers to run down her spine, the white pony ducked down and pushed open the door carefully, sneaking in as quickly and quietly as she could. She heard her friends run through behind her, sitting down close to one another on the left side of the train car. Sweetie hid behind the first seat and quickly cast the illusion on her and her friends.

“So that’s why the princess is so willing to give us this train,” Rainbow said, sounding incredulous. “I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed, sounding stunned beyond a doubt. “Is she sure that she found Spike like that? How do we know that he’s really that old?”

Sweetie Belle heard the lavender alicorn sigh. “Princess Celestia said that she found Spike three hundred years ago as an egg on the Ibexian Tundra. If that is what she said happened, how can we say otherwise? None of us were even alive back then. Only Spike was, and I don’t think that he’d remember.”

The three younger mares sat back in silence, the white unicorn barely believing what she was hearing. _Spike? Three hundred years old? Does Rarity know about this?_ Whether she did or not, this revelation defeated the purpose for her sister going over the reasons why the two of them could not be together. It had been a long time ago, four years if Sweetie Belle remembered correctly.

It was a few days after Spike had given Rarity that fire-ruby. Sweetie had listened in to the conversation that the violet-maned mare had had with herself. Because of this new information, just the thought of it brought a smile to the white mare’s face.

“Oh, I know that he’s sweet to me,” Sweetie heard Rarity begin. “So kind and caring, and always so helpful. I still cannot believe that he actually gave this to me. I should really do something nice for him.” Rarity’s little sister watched silently as she paced around the work room.

The proper lady had fashioned the necklace for the splendid gem by then, though she held it in her magic while she walked, glancing down at it occasionally. “I didn’t think that he’d ever work up the courage to tell me how he felt…and when he did…I couldn’t hear it.” Rarity paused and hung her head sullenly. “I don’t even know what to say to him about that. Spike, you’re very kind, but you may be too young…and I just...”

Sweetie had snuck back away from her room, not making a sound, but that had been her first clue to how her sister might feel about Spike. _You might not have known what to say, but you sure seemed to enjoy the attention._ She grinned at that. The day that the two of them had spent together, not a day before this trip, had the pink- and purple-maned pony ecstatic. _They must have talked about that a little. Why would Rarity agree to go on this trip if she didn’t still like him?_

“So, the trip to Vanhoover,” Fluttershy started, startling Sweetie Belle out of her imaginings. “Has Princess Celestia told you if there’s a ship docked on Starswirl Island to meet us?”

“No. I haven’t heard back from her since we talked, but she said that she’d contact me once she spoke to the ibex.” Sweetie’s eyes widened. _Ibex? Why would they need to talk to them?_ “Hopefully we’ll be allowed to board their ship to the western continent, but should the princess not be successful, I’ve been looking into other possible means of transport.”

“They’re going to the western continent?” Applebloom whispered under her breath. She looked over at Sweetie Belle, who imagined that her face was just as perplexed and shocked as hers.

“Cool. Hopefully we’ll be able to at least find that ship the princess mentioned.” It had been Pinkie. The unicorn could never mistake that excitable, bouncy voice for anything else. “If we don’t at least find _The Sea Princess_ we’ll never get anywhere.”

“Shoot, look at the time,” Applejack said. “Ah think it’s time for bed girls. We’ve got a busy morning waiting for us if Princess Celestia’s plan comes through.” Sweetie heard the other four mares agree with her and several hoofsteps growing quieter as their conversations subsided.

Soon, the three friends were alone in the passenger car. The unicorn’s head was swimming with what she had heard, finding it difficult to focus on any one piece of information. _The western continent? Ibexian Tundra? Rarity and Spike are going to find dragons and Spike is three hundred years old?_ Sweetie Belle turned to the window, realizing that quite a few hours had passed by on the train. “Girls, it’s already dark out. I think this trip is going to be an overnighter.”

“Can you believe how old Spike is?” Scootaloo shouted, flying a few inches into the air out of excitement. “I knew that dragons age differently than ponies, but wow.”

“And they’re going to a completely different continent too. Ah can’t believe that Rarity agreed to go with him…uh, no offence Sweetie Belle.” The farm mare grinned nervously and rubbed her foreleg. Sweetie Belle shook her head and pushed herself up from the carpeted floor.

“It’s alright. I can’t believe much of it either.”

“Do you know why Rarity would agree to go and find dragons with Spike?”

Sweetie walked a few paces, over to the opposite side of the car before turning back around. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should tell them what she thought. “It’s…it’s only a guess, but…I think my sister might like him back.”

Cirrus clouds covered the skies above the coastal city of Vanhoover. Ponies strolled about the streets of the southern city, off on business or vacation. Sailor ponies were converging at the dockyard and setting up for voyages across the sea to several different places.

“Do you see them?” Applebloom whispered from beside the speedster. Scootaloo shook her head, as the three friends hid behind the docks of Vanhoover’s shipyard. They had managed to find sleeping arrangements on the passenger car and successfully made their escape through the caboose of the train. Now they were simply waiting for an opportunity to board the craft that Twilight and her friends had been discussing on the train _._

“No. We did rush over here once the train stopped. They’re probably-” the orange pegasus stopped. She stood up and leaned out from their hiding spot at the end of the dock of ships. Sweetie Belle walked forward and glanced around Scootaloo. Sure enough, their sisters and friends were approaching swiftly. The dock was crowded with sailors and packages being prepared for the journey, while sea birds flew overhead and the waves of the sea washed up near the three mares.

Sweetie could see the plank set out for those sailors that were charged with loading the equipment onto the vessel, but none of them were foolish enough to try and sneak on that way; at least not without a distraction. _Hopefully, the arrival of the Princess of Friendship is enough of a distraction._

The three mares watched and listened intently as the five ponies and a stallion exchanged words aboard the craft. Most of the conversations went unheard by the unicorn, but she managed to catch a few words spoken by her sister’s friends. Once the ponies moved away from the plank, the three other mares saw the opportunity.

“Quick! Nopony else is around,” Scootaloo whispered, pushing herself up from their hiding spot behind the docks to canter up the plank. Sweetie Belle followed quietly after the red-maned mare, managing to spot a good place to hide on the deck of the ship.

The white unicorn dove behind some barrels and boxes near the stern of the vessel. She poked her head out for a moment to make sure that they were not seen, before turning to the yellow pony. “Are you sure that this is a good place to hide, Applebloom?”

“Sure ah’m sure. We’re perfectly hidden here.”

Sweetie Belle watched from their spot as a couple of deck ponies walked about the upper decks of _The Sea Princess._

“Well,” said Sweetie, settling back behind the cargo. “Whether we’re perfectly hidden here or not, I doubt that we’ll be able to follow your sisters down below decks any time soon.” The three friends glanced at each other, seeming to agree that she was right. Every sailor pony aboard the vessel was crowding the deck now, making it impossible to move from their spot amongst the barrels.

The sun was sinking low again near the horizon; nearly another day had passed since the three mares left Ponyville. _The Sea Princess_ had been speeding along the coasts of Equestria for several hours now and Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo had only just recently managed to make their way below decks.

Once again hiding in a secluded area of the large ship, the white pony was swiftly growing tired. The first post had been assigned to her; to make sure that nopony discovered them as the three mares sat unmoving. Sweetie Belle was once again casting her illusion spell on them, though none of them wanted to run the risk of being discovered by a wandering deck hoof. _It’s almost time to get Scootaloo up,_ she thought to herself as she yawned tiredly.

Below decks, everything looked boring and bland. The pink- and purple-maned pony had long since scanned every last nook and cranny of the hall that the three were on, and none of them held any interest in her whatsoever. _Maybe Rarity wouldn’t like being on this ship…though, if it was Rarity, she probably wouldn’t be hiding here._

Suddenly, the mare heard hoofsteps coming down the hall. They were hiding along a hallway that branched off from the sides of the ship, a relatively good place to rest, but now somepony was walking down from the stern of the vessel. Sweetie Belle’s ears perked up to make out the side that the pony was on. _On the right,_ she decided, turning to face the oncoming mare or stallion.

Within a few seconds, Pinkie Pie walked past the trio, pausing briefly in the center of the hallway. She was humming a tune as she went, though Sweetie couldn’t pick up on what song she was singing at the time. “Hi girls!” she exclaimed, only waving and tilting her head to the side before continuing on her way. Her quick discovery startled the unicorn and also seemed to wake the other two stowaways as well.

“What?” Sweetie Belle whispered, being completely perplexed by the pink mare’s uncanny ability to spot them when they were invisible. “Pinkie, wait.” She risked stepping out into the open to catch the other mare’s attention before it was too late.

At the call of her name, Pinkie turned her head and grinned back at the pony around the corner. “Hmm?” she asked, like she was totally oblivious as to what the three of them were doing here. The unicorn waved her back over and thankfully, she obliged.

“How did you know it was us?” Applebloom wondered once she had regained her sense from being asleep. The pegasus was in the same position as her, though Sweetie saw their sleepy faces turn to ones of nervousness after they were fully conscious.

“Oh, well I hide behind and in barrels all of the time when hiding from Rainbow Dash…though she always seems to find me.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I wonder why.” The party pony merely shrugged her shoulders as she continued to hop in place.

“I don’t know. So anyway, what are you girls doing here? Didn’t Twilight tell you not to come along?” Pinkie tilted her head curiously, her curly pink mane shifting to account for the change in angle. Applebloom shook her head in reply, causing Pinkie to cease her bouncing and listen in.

“She didn’t tell us anything. Ah heard about Rarity and Spike from mah big sister.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle nodded her head with determination. “So we had to come along, even if it meant danger or trouble. Rarity is in danger, and I have to make sure that she’s okay. She’s _my_ big sister, after all.”

“And Applejack and Rainbow Dash are mah and Scootaloo’s big sisters. We couldn’t let y’all go alone this time. Ah don’t think that even you five could last too long out on a completely different continent, especially one that’s frozen for most of the year.”

“Please Pinkie,” Sweetie added, staring up at her with her giant sad eyes like she did so often with Rarity. “You can’t tell the others that we’re here. They can’t send us home. Our sisters are always getting into trouble and more ponies just mean better odds of finding Rarity and Spike.”

“We’re almost as old as you were when you started on your quests for the princess,” Scootaloo put in, an expression of resolve crossing her features. “So don’t say anything and I know that we’ll be of help when the time comes. I know it.”

Pinkie giggled and waved a hoof at the three assembled ponies. “Oh you guys. You’re so silly. Alright, I won’t say a word- ah! I mean, I won’t say anything about you being here on this ship.” The magenta-maned mare sighed and wiped a hoof across her forehead. “Phew. I almost promised that I wouldn’t talk at all. Could you imagine how horrible that would be?”

“I can imagine _something_ like that,” Scootaloo responded, smirking at the two friends afterward. Sweetie Belle returned the smile and faced Pinkie again. _It would be pretty upsetting though,_ the white unicorn mused. _And besides, I don’t mind hearing you talk._

“Well, I gotta get back to the girls. It’s getting pretty late and I have to make sure that I didn’t miss anything important.” She stepped out into the hallway again and resumed her bouncing. “Have fun you three. Bye.”

They waved back and sighed with relief once the lower decks were empty again. “Well,” began Sweetie as she sat back beside her two friends. “That is one way to wake up the next watch. It’s your turn to make sure that we’re not discovered, Scootaloo. My illusion should still be in place while I sleep, but you should still be careful not to let ponies venture too close.”

“Roger that, Sweetie Belle,” the orange pegasus spoke up with a quick and stiff salute.

Applebloom giggled. “Careful there, you’ll poke yer eye out.” Scootaloo glared daggers at the earth mare, but the pink- and purple-maned mare was far too tired to pay their renewed argument any mind. Instead, she lay down on her side, against the wall and shut her eyes.

_Don’t worry, sis,_ she promised as she curled up on the wooden floor of the ship. _I’m coming to get you back…safe and sound._ Sweetie Belle yawned one last time into her hoof, before succumbing to her drowsiness and falling asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Luna

“Sister. Sister, please wake up.”

The Princess of the Night awoke with a moan, being shaken quite roughly from her slumber. She was in her room within Canterlot castle, with the violet covers of her bed covering just below her shoulder. Her purple eyes opened and focused on the white alicorn at the side of her bed.

_What is the time?_ Her eyes shifted from the solar princess and saw the light shining in from her windows. Luna groaned and sat up, glaring at her sister for waking her up early. “Sister, why hath thou woken me? It is not yet time to raise the moon.”

“Believe me, Luna,” Celestia began, appearing far more worried than she normally allowed herself to look. She sighed and shut her eyes, standing up straight. “If I didn’t think that something was terribly wrong, I would not be here right now.”

The violet pony centered herself and looked at the shaken expression on her sister’s face. _She is struggling with something. This is not one of her_ innocent _pranks._ With little more than a nod, Luna pushed the covers off and stepped onto the floor of her room. “Very well. What wouldst thou ask of me at this early hour?”

Princess Celestia kept her eyes closed, tilting her head away from the lunar princess. Luna stayed put, waiting stiffly and with a neutral expression on her face. _This is difficult for her, so I must be strong in her stead for whatever it is that she hath to say._

After a few more moments of silence between the two mares, the white alicorn managed to look into Luna’s eyes. “I am afraid of what has happened to Rarity and Spike.” She sauntered over to one of the windows of Luna’s room. “My powers of sensing presences were never as good as yours, even with one thousand years of practice.” The Protector of Dreams knew where this was going. She followed her sister up to the window and awaited the inevitable question to escape her lips. “Can you locate the two of them?”

Luna’s head tilted to the side, with her flowing violet mane shifting to account for the change. She nodded. “I will try.” Luna closed her eyes and gathered her magic within her horn, allowing the light to radiate from it. She took deep breaths to calm her mind and channel her innate gift: the Dreamscape.

The night princess could feel her soul fade out of her body and enter the realm that she had known throughout her life as Princess of the Night. Her dream self knew each and every voice in the land of Equestria, having to heal ponies’ hurts, doubts and fears each and every night. She could locate a pony by the aura that they gave off during their dream sequence and appear wherever they were to aid them in their dream world.

This ability allowed her to follow an aura given off while that pony was awake, though it was much weaker and more difficult to track. _Whether the two of them are awake or asleep, I should find them._ It was second nature to the lunar princess, and within moments she could sense Spike’s path of dreams. Her mind trained on the aura, attempting to pinpoint the dragon’s and hopefully by association, the unicorn’s location.

_It is unnaturally clouded,_ Luna thought, struggling to see through what appeared to her to be a concentrated snowstorm. She began to sweat under the stress that this storm seemed to foster. She clenched her teeth together in an attempt to retain her concentration. There was a dark magic that permeated the area around Spike’s presence, causing the pony to return to the waking world with few comforting words. _That was not a normal storm. It is blocking me somehow._

The Protector of Dreams opened her eyes, stern in expression but shaken by what she saw. She glanced over at Celestia and sighed with regret. The sunlight was pouring in from her drawn curtains, making it difficult to discern what expression her elder sibling held. “Sister, I have followed the stream of Spike’s dream aura, yet I am unable to establish a confident location. I fear that something is preventing us from seeing what lies on the western continent.”

“So it is as I feared.” Luna saw the room grow darker, the sun as well as her sister’s expression dimming even further.

“Worse, I am afraid.” Celestia stared into Luna’s eyes, looking far less composed than she normally was. _Whether or not thou art ready, sister, thou must hear this._ “I could at least tell that Spike is still in the Ibexian Tundra, so it is not too unlikely that both he and Rarity are alright. However…in all of my time being the Protector of Dreams I have never not been able to locate an animal I know, nor have I felt such an ancient presence concealing them from me.”

Her sister nodded, almost at the brink of tears. She breathed in carefully and calmed her mind down before focusing back on Luna. “They will be in peril eventually then. I had sensed that same presence three hundred years ago when I found Spike. It appears that it still resides there.” The regal princess shook her head sullenly. “I’ve sent them to their deaths.”

“No sister,” replied the violet alicorn, shaking her head and placing a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “Thou doubt the strength of those two. They will protect one another, we have seen it from both of them, and it is our duty to be prepared to aid them when the time comes. Should your fears be made a reality, and something greater than dragons is at work here, we must be ready.”

After a brief silent stare between the two ponies, Celestia hung her head. “Yes. You are correct, sister. My mind was clouded by fear and regret. I made a promise to the dragon that saved Spike’s life, whether or not he was related to him.” She stepped away and faced the door leading out into the hall. “This is not the way to keep it. Thank you, Luna. I suppose that you would like to return to bed. I will leave you.”

The Princess of the Night waited until Celestia was at the door, about to walk back into the hall, when she spoke up in answer. “I am afraid I cannot do that.” Her statement caused the alicorn to stare back at her curiously. Luna in turn stepped forward to be heard more clearly. “Thou require my aid in this matter. This may be larger than one princess can take.”

“That is why I have sent Twilight and her friends to follow Spike and Rarity, though I fear that they will not be returning with them any time soon.”

Luna nodded. _Thou art merely proving my point, sister._ “We must warn our allies on the western and southern continents: the ibexes, giraffes, zebras. The buffalo to the west must be told as well and the griffins to the north.”

She saw her sister give in to what she was saying, turning back into the room to face Luna properly. “I agree, but what do we tell them, sister? We do not know what it is that is hiding.”

“We must tell them to be careful when wandering close to the Ibexian Tundra. I feel a great presence there. For good or ill I cannot say at this point, but should your fears be true, the world must be warned of coming battle.” Celestia walked up to her and nodded, her firm and stern expression returning in full force.

“Our own borders must be protected as well. I will contact Princess Cadence and Shining Armour, and debrief them on the current situation. Soldiers must be trained and posted at all of the major cities in Equestria, and border patrols must be conducted to ensure no surprises.”

“Very well,” the lunar princess confirmed. “I will begin to alert the guards, if thou would contact Princess Cadence and Shining Armour in the Crystal Empire.”

“Yes, I will depart immediately. It would be best to speak to them in pony. Should anything arise that requires my council…” Luna nodded in response to the white pony’s unasked request.

“I shall send for you, as I hope you will do the same for me.”

Celestia bowed her head. “Thank you, Luna.”

Luna cracked a smile at her sister’s solemn bow of respect. “Hey. Thou art always awake when some important quest occurs and I must listen to a retelling of it once I am awake. Thou art not the only alicorn that doth grow bored.”

That had the princess chuckling, waving a hoof in Luna’s direction. “I wouldn’t doubt that. You never were very patient.”

Luna grumbled at her sister’s accusation, causing the Sun Princess to laugh. _Shall I list the impatient streaks that thou hast had throughout the millennia?_ The violet alicorn let that thought go; although she made certain to remember those moments should Celestia choose to renew that conversation at a later time. “I shall rouse the night guard. We will need every soldier to know the situation if things should come to a point.”

“Oh, don’t disturb your guard,” responded Princess Celestia, shaking her head with a steady smile. “Who will keep the night safe if both you and your guard are asleep?”

“I will not sleep. There is too much to do to sleep at such time, and I require aid to train our soldiers.” Celestia smirked at her. Luna strolled out of her room quietly, hearing her sister’s hoofsteps following her out. “Fine. I will not rouse them all, but I will wake Dusk Darkhelm. I shall require his unique abilities to train the soldiers.”

The lunar princess saw the smirk swiftly developing on Celestia’s face as they stared at each other in the hallway. “Are you sure that you don’t just want him to keep you company?”

“Yes,” she replied steadily, unmoving and unflinching at the suggestive question. “Now, if thou could gather thine guard in the courtyard before leaving, I would be most grateful.”

Her sister chuckled. “Alright. I hope that you will find the day guard to be suitably trained.” Luna nodded her head silently, and Celestia continued. “I will be back as soon as I can. Farewell.”

“Farewell, dear sister.” She watched in silence as the Sun Princess strolled down the hall and down a set of stairs at the end.

Luna began walking in the opposite direction from her sister and down the halls to the night guard’s quarters, going through several ideas on how to determine how equipped her sister’s guard was. _Thine guard may well be trained to deal with outside threats adequately, but what about things that cannot be seen; those thoughts hidden deep within themselves?_

The solar princess had said so herself; she did not have the same skill at entering the dreamscape and dealing with her dreams as her, so how could she teach her guard how to deal with threats hidden within their own dreams?

_If this unseen presence proves to be hostile, and the threat still hidden within that snowstorm, our soldiers will need to rely on more than sight and sound alone._ As the light shone in from the stained glass windows of the night guard’s hall, Luna stood at the door to Dusk’s room. _They will need to learn to control their emotions and be strong when faced with their own fears._ It was late in the afternoon and the sky was growing dark, but it was still early for her to be up, and by extension it was early for Dusk as well.

_I can think of nopony better to teach them._ The alicorn knocked on the door, waiting and listening for hoof steps on the other side. She stood up straight and tall as she heard the pony stirring. Within moments the door swung open, revealing a tall, midnight blue unicorn.

The bags under his eyes showed the signs of no sleep, but his golden eyes themselves betrayed no tired appearance. He was thin, though not unhealthy, and his mane and tail were greyish-blue. His face was fair, with a goatee, kept neat and tidy as he kept everything that he owned. He was still wearing his night guard uniform, though he held a different helm under his hoof; pitch black and more streamlined than those of her guard.

“My lady. What is it that you require of me?”

“Thou hath not slept,” Luna pointed out as she gestured to his eyes, ignoring his question. She glanced past him and into his room, seeing that the covers of his bed had not been disturbed by slumber. The unicorn shook his head, concern plainly presented in his eyes.

“No. I sensed something amiss and I could not shake the feeling. Normally I do not sleep in my armour, if my quick appearance confuses your grace.” He bowed, making Luna crack a small smile. After a few seconds though, the smile faded.

She said, “So you have noticed it too.”

“Noticed what, your highness?” he asked. “Has something happened that I am not aware of?”

“My apologies for disturbing thee,” she said, “but I promise that I have clear cause to call for thine aid. Out of all of the soldiers that I have trained in the ways of the dream world, you have always shown the most promise.”

“Thank you, princess,” Dusk said, bowing low again. “I only wish to please your grace.”

Luna said, “Thou doth please me, rest assured. Thou hath always taken my teachings the most seriously and done what I asked without question. Thou art my most faithful friend. I often imagine what would have transpired should thou hath been alive one thousand years ago…if I would have felt lonely enough to turn into that nightmare.”

“Your grace is too kind, to put such faith in me.” At that he bowed lowest, almost touching his chin to the carpeted floor, if Luna hadn’t lifted his head back up with a hoof.

“Nonsense. My compliments are very much earned,” the lunar princess replied. “Now, I have need of thine ability. My sister and I fear that war may be upon us. A war unlike any that Ponykind hath seen. Neither of us know of what this presence is or what it wants, but we must be ready if it should be a danger. That is what thou must have sensed, though thou had no clear form in thy mind.

“The night guard are well trained to use all of their senses, including the Dreamscape to some extent, so that if one fails them or betrays them, they may rely on another. Celestia’s guard do not have such training, and I believe we will need each and every soldier trained in such a way. Unseen, hidden evils are always our undoing.” Her expression grew stern as she looked upon Dusk critically. “Will you do this?”

Dusk replied, “Of course, my lady. I live to serve.”

“Good. Come with me.” She made her way back the way she had come and down the stairs that her sister had taken moments earlier, the midnight unicorn following close beside her. “Celestia should have gathered her guard before she left for the Crystal Empire. While she warns Princess Cadence and Shining Armour about the possible threat, you will begin training the guard immediately.”

The guard was lined up in four rows on either side of Luna in the castle courtyard, once they reached the front gates of the castle. They stood tall with spears, flags or with their horns glowing, all clad in the golden armour of the day guard of Princess Celestia. At the arrival of the regal alicorn and Dusk Darkhelm, the guards stood at attention and awaited instruction.

_They are punctual and organized at the very least,_ she mused. The pony stood at the top of the stairs just before the courtyard, searching through all of the faces of the soldiers to determine their resolves. “Now then,” she said, addressing the rows of ponies. “Doth thou know the reason for this gathering?”

A breeze from the west blew past the castle courtyard, chilly and steady. The flags flowed in the gusts of wind from the sea, the soldiers either leaning on their poles or their spears for support. Birds flew about in the afternoon breeze, landing in trees or shrubs to rest or being pushed about on the air currents.

“No,” one pegasus called from Luna’s left. “The princess had little time to speak with us. She said that we were to be debriefed on the situation and to be trained by you.”

The lunar princess said, “Not by me, no, but by him.” She gestured to Dusk, who until this point remained still and silent. He looked at her and then back to the guards, who appeared confused. “Thou art correct on my first point, however. Before training may begin, thou must be told what to expect and what is happening.”

“Whatever the threat is princess,” one guard spoke up, a unicorn mare. “I assure you that we are well trained to deal with it.”

Luna nodded in response. “I do not deny that claim. Nor do I doubt thy troops’ ability in combat. What I fear is that I believe thou rely too heavily on what thou can see.” The guards exchanged looks and waited in silence for the princess to continue. “But what about those threats one cannot see?”

She walked down the steps and joined the soldiers on level ground, glancing from one face to the other. “Threats cloaked in shadow and those hidden deep within ourselves. I hath no doubt that thou wouldst not flee from a fight if fought fairly, but thine courage is nothing if thou do not hath the fortitude and focus to prevent thy mind from being corrupted. Thou must learn to tell the difference between reality and dream, and use all of thine senses should one fail.

“Dusk Darkhelm is my best soldier, a leader amongst the night guard. He had the most prowess and promise when learning to enter the Dreamscape. From now on, until we are called to war, he will teach you how to control thine senses and fears and how to master them. A well trained body requires a sturdy mind.”

The day guard were silent, everypony turned to face the Princess of the Night and Dusk Darkhelm. Luna could feel her flowing mane being caught in the breeze, as she awaited a response from these ponies. Her face was stoic when she glanced from each of them. She knew their fears and their determination to prove their worth. The princess knew the fear behind these faces well, having to live with such doubts and terrors for one thousand years herself.

She said, “Will thee do this?”

“Yes, princess!” they shouted in unison. The soldiers stood straight and tall, saluting the dark alicorn and her guard. Luna nodded to them, a small smile on her face. She turned to the unicorn with the black helm and gestured to the rows of guards. Dusk bowed his head in understanding and took a step forward.

“Very well,” he spoke, raising his voice to be heard by eveypony. “We will begin immediately.”

“Yes, ser!”

Luna watched as the guard formed up to begin training, watching out of the corner of her eye as Dusk gave out orders. “I shall leave you presently. I hath much else to do, before the day is done. Farewell.” With no further words between them, the Princess of the Night teleported back into her room and magicked a quill, some ink and some parchment over to her stand. _I will have to warn each city guard of this first, then our allies across the sea._

She halted in her writing, remembering back to her search for Spike. She had known about Celestia’s promise to the dragon hundreds of years ago. Celestia told her once she had returned as Princess Luna that Spike had been found on the Ibexian Tundra as an egg. He was special to her sister, and for the past four years she always seemed happier having the dragon around.

Her quill returned to write the messages to the other pony cities, though what she had felt while searching for Rarity and Spike still weighed heavily on her mind. She had held something back from her sister’s knowledge, fearing that Celestia would only continue to blame herself for sending them into danger. Luna did not want to worry her further about what she had felt while finding the dragon; that Spike’s aura had grown cold and dim, from something lurking there.

_I hath no doubt in my mind. We must be ready for war._


	20. Chapter 20

Rarity

From within Carousel Boutique, the soft inhale and exhale of the white unicorn could be heard. The blanket of the four-poster bed rose and fell with her gentle breathing as Rarity floated steadily back to consciousness.

In the light of early morning the fashionista’s eyes fluttered open. _Oh, what a splendid dream that was,_ Rarity thought as she shuffled around beneath the covers. She closed her eyes again to relax for a few moments before truly waking up. The unicorn couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a good sleep.

“Oh, what time is it?” she mumbled as realization struck her. Rarity blinked her eyes to focus her vision before gazing over at the clock on her side table. It was nine in the morning. The seamstress stiffly rose from her mattress and looked over her room, the stress of being late setting in. “I only have an hour to get ready, my goodness, how could I have been asleep for so long?” Without answering that line of questioning, the mare jumped out from under the covers and raced into the bathroom for a quick shower.

A soft sigh escaped Rarity’s lips as she began to clean herself, standing under the showerhead. The hot water pouring over and down her pristine white coat managed to calm her down a little as she thought of how to make up for the time delay. _Now I have about an hour to be ready for this day, including my time in the shower. Then I have to dry off and set my mane again, of course._ She dipped her head under the shower head and felt her violet-coloured mane fall straight against her head and neck. _After this it will be a quick breakfast, possibly some toast with apricot jam._ Rarity licked her lips at the thought of her meal choice.

She once again let out a sigh of pleasure as she felt the heat of the water wash over her. Her horn lit up, levitating her special shampoo over to begin her ritual to keep her mane full, colourful and most importantly, gorgeous. It was a trick that Rarity had picked up from Aloe and Lotus to make sure that her mane always looked fabulous. The unicorn hated using unnatural tactics when it came to her mane and body, so such healthy products from the Ponyville Spa were always her initial choice.

“I do hope that Fluttershy won’t be too upset if I am late,” she said aloud as she grabbed a scrub brush in her magic as well. Rarity giggled as she cleaned her soft coat with her au natural body soap. “Fluttershy, upset. How silly of me. Still, I do not like to make her wait. A lady must be punctual, after all.”

The unicorn let out another moan of pleasure as she stepped under the hot water to wash away the shampoo and soap from her mane, tail and body. She took hold of a towel that she had laid out for after her shower and wrapped it around herself, sighing as the lady felt comfortable and toasty warm. Rarity dried herself off with the towel and hung it up over the door to the shower, before pulling on a cerulean robe with a red patch of a ruby sewn in at the chest.

“Oh, I never get tired of wearing you. Truly one of my best designs: simple, yet elegant,” Rarity chuckled as her cheeks heated up. “And usually I am the only one who sees it.” She trotted up to the mirror and began to dry her mane and tail, before setting them back to how they were. “There now,” the seamstress grinned into the mirror. “Perfect.”

With only one last glance at her breathtaking reflection, Rarity sauntered out of her bathroom and bedroom to prepare her light breakfast. _A day at the spa will do wonders for me,_ she continued as the kitchen lit up with her sapphire aura. She set the toaster up and magicked the fridge door open to set the apricot jam on the counter. _They always do, after all._ Another soft chuckle escaped her lips as she thought about her planned out day. _And then after that…_ The fashionista trailed off with a fairly large smile on her face as the toast popped up.

“Oh I simply cannot wait for this day to truly begin.” Rarity sat at her table, with a plate in front of her containing a slice of apricot toast. The other slice she held in her magic. She took the first bite of her toast and moaned with delight at the delectable taste of the jam. “Going to the spa with Fluttershy. Oh, we haven’t been able to enjoy one of these days for quite some time, and then lunch with my handsome dragon! He has been so looking forward to this too, if that blushing face of his whenever I brought it up was any indication.” The unicorn found her own cheeks reddening at the thought. “Then we’ll fly around a while, enjoying the open air and maybe stroll around the town…before dinner, dancing and…well.”

Rarity glanced down at her robe again and felt her cheeks burn. _Simple…elegant…and maybe just a little bit…enticing?_ She hoped that it was. Of course the lady knew that whatever outfit she was in would elicit stares from the dragon, but today was special. After all, it was their anniversary. Rarity squealed in delight at the word.

She had never been so happy in her life. Finally she had somepony to call hers; somepony to care about her and protect her, to truly love her. It was all Rarity ever wanted, but it had never actually happened. The fashionista grumbled into her second piece of toast as she was reminded of all of her past suitors. _I cannot believe I had been so silly back then. I was searching for my special somepony in all of the wrong places…and he was never even a some_ pony.

Now that she imagined it, the unicorn thought that something was off. She couldn’t quite place the cause of her inability to remember, but for some reason Rarity couldn’t recall her first date with the dragon. She shook off her worries as she trotted over to her sink and placed the dishes into it. The seamstress hummed a wordless tune as her magic took care of the dishes, washing them and placing them back in their rightful places.

A song broke out on her lips as she finished up her work, though nothing she did seemed to shake what she was feeling. Rarity stepped away from her kitchen and made her way back up the stairs. She couldn’t recall what happened the day the two of them had begun dating either; the day he finally asked her out. “Why can I not remember?” she whispered to one of her pictures on the wall.

Taking in a few shallow breaths to calm her nerves, the unicorn set aside those worrisome thoughts. _Not to worry, dear,_ Rarity thought as she sauntered back into her room to remove her cerulean robe with the gorgeous red embroidering on it. _I am certain that I will remember in time._

Her thoughts swiftly drew elsewhere as the proper lady opened her house’s door and shut it quietly behind her. Rarity drew in a deep breath of the morning air before trotting off in the direction of the spa. She glanced up at the sky and saw the sun shining happily above her. _A quarter to ten. Oh, dear, I am just barely on time. I am so glad that I will not be making Fluttershy wait for me._ Not wasting any more time on those thoughts, Rarity made her way to the Ponyville Spa further in town.

Ponies were out and about at this time as usual; she waved to Lyra as she smelled the flowers outside of _Colourful Carnations,_ to Caramel, to whom the seamstress wished a pleasant day, to Big Macintosh, Apple Bloom and Applejack, as they trotted past on their way to the marketplace, and to Filthy Rich as he bartered with somepony at a stall.

Crossing the threshold of the spa, Rarity allowed herself a calming sigh of relief. She stared up at the clock and found that she had made it to her destination with a few minutes to spare, something that the white mare was grateful for. She spotted Fluttershy sitting in the waiting room, reading one of the many magazines placed on the table in front of her.

“Good morning, darling,” called Rarity as she walked over to the seated pegasus. She smiled at Fluttershy as the yellow mare set her choice of reading down. “It is so good to see you again, my dear. I must say I have missed being able to do this on a regular basis.”

“Good morning, Rarity. You look well rested.”

She let out a light giggle in response. “Oh, yes. It was wonderful. One of the best I have had in months. Not to say that the other nights haven’t been lovely, but I cannot for the life of me think of another time that I have been this relaxed.” _In fact I cannot remember another night or morning either._ Rarity grimaced, hoping that Fluttershy would not pick up on her dilemma.

The timid pegasus only smiled back at her friend and stood up on her legs. “Well, that’s good. I’m glad that you have been having pleasant dreams. Are you ready for today’s spa date?”

Rarity nodded as the two of them walked up to the counter together, quickly being greeted by Aloe. They set up their appointment, Fluttershy exchanging a few words with the pink mare about why she was unable to continue their usual spa sessions until this time, before making their way in to begin with a mud bath. As they walked, Rarity began to wonder what her reason was for not being able to go to the spa until today. _I am not usually this forgetful. Oh well, no need to panic. That is exactly the opposite of what I am here for._

“You have no idea how long I have waited for this day,” replied the unicorn as she slipped into the mud bath with a soft moan of delight. Her worried thoughts quickly faded away as the warm mud covered her body.

Fluttershy tilted her head to the side as the white mare relaxed. “Oh? What’s so special about today…? O-oh…other than our spa day, that is.” Rarity tittered as she watched her friend grow more and more quiet as she spoke.

“There is no need to fear, darling. It is not something I would imagine you to remember. It is an anniversary of sorts. The day I finally found my special somepony.” She blushed and let out a quiet chuckle. “I mean, special some _dragon…_ though again I suppose I _found_ him long ago, but never truly understood what he meant to me until a year ago.”

“Oh…um, yes. I’m sorry. I did forget about that.”

“Nonsense, dear. There is no need to apologize.”

The timid mare managed to smile again as Rarity sunk further into the wonderfully calming mud bath. “But then…you must be so happy. I know how you always wanted a very special somepony…and now Spike is-”

_Spike…Spike._ Rarity’s thoughts interrupted what Fluttershy was saying. That name sounded so familiar as she stared up at the ceiling of the spa, although she didn’t know from where she’d heard it before. Rarity flicked her ears back and forth, suddenly feeling drowsy within the bath. The proper lady shifted in the small pool to try and warm herself, but despite the bath, Rarity only felt shivers go through her now. _Odd, that has never happened before._

“Rarity?” Fluttershy’s voice echoed in her head, snapping her out of her reverie. “Are you okay?”

Rarity felt her eyelids growing heavy. She tried to look back at the pegasus to reassure her that she was fine, but the fashionista found that she felt too weak to move. She kept focus on the name that she had just heard, swearing that she knew who this Spike was. _Spike…Spike is…later today._ Rarity shuddered again, suddenly freezing. _What?_

_Spike…no…no!_

She felt her eyes fluttering open again, only this time what welcomed her were thousands of snowflakes falling all round her. Rarity blinked a few times blearily, not truly understanding where she was. _What…happened to Ponyville? Hadn’t I just been…at the spa with Fluttershy?_ The half-awake mare glanced down at her hooves, feeling them chilled to the bone. They were covered in snow, as was most of her body.

A shiver went through her as reality came flooding back. Rarity looked round at her surroundings, beginning to fear what her situation seemed to be. Her sapphire eyes widened in realization. _Where…where am I? How did I get here?_ She swallowed hard and attempted to stand on her legs. She screamed, feeling her entire body seize up suddenly. When the pain subsided, Rarity rested her head clumsily on her hooves. The pony was panting from the stress that she was experiencing, trying to grasp her current predicament.

“My…my back…it was…sprained years ago.” She gulped again, keeping her body as still as she could. “But then why…wait a minute…the Ibexian Tundra, I remember. Spike and I…” Rarity gasped and lifted her head again to look around. “Spike?!” Her eyes eventually fell upon a purple mass, covered in a layer of snow. “Spike! Spike, wake up! Wake up, please!”

The fashionista tried to drag herself toward him, but her injury kept her from moving. She let out a shallow gasp of air as she felt her shoulders tense up in agony. _Spike…he’s in trouble. He was knocked unconscious by…something…and I am the only pony who knows._ Rarity struggled to raise her head again, gazing at the form of the dragon before searching for some possible refuge. Everything around her was snow, either covering the ground or clouding up the skies above and beside her; however, off to her left the injured unicorn spotted a few jagged rocks beside a small cave.

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of salvation from this deadly weather. Rarity couldn’t imagine how long she had been out for, but she suspected that her slumber had not been for very long. The stress of this situation was too much to allow for sleep for too long, and if she had been asleep for hours Rarity was sure she would be dead. The mare focused back on Spike, still being covered by snow.

_Spikey-Wikey…no,_ she thought, feeling tears well up in her eyes. _If I had not been injured I could-…I could save…_ Rarity shut her eyes, and she felt the snowflakes which stuck to her eyes and eye lashes melting. She felt herself shaking now, her body naturally trying to warm itself up from the unbearable cold. “I…h-have to…s-s-save him…”

She opened her eyes again and reached out with her left hoof. _Okay Rarity,_ she thought, taking a few deep breaths, _this…this is going to hurt._ Before she allowed herself to think, Rarity dragged herself through the snow, the sweltering heat and excruciating pain in her back causing her to groan in agony the entire time. She could hear her cries of anguish echoed back at her from the mountains in the area, feeling like her entire back was broken. Her body slumped to the white surface, panting heavily as the mare felt razor sharp needles in her lower spine.

Recognition set in again as Rarity’s lungs starved for air. She shook her head in disbelief, blinking away the snowflakes that continued to land carefully in her eyes. “No…it can’t be.” Her breathing became more ragged, fully comprehending that not only had her back been once again strained, but it had been broken during the fall. She gasped loudly as she felt one of the dislocated vertebra move further out of line. Her head was swimming, adrenaline and fear taking over as Rarity thought about her position.

She reached out with her right hoof and pulled herself forward a few more inches. The unicorn cried out, feeling her watery tears well up in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. Rarity collapsed upon the ground again, passing out from the sheer strain on her body.

The seamstress awoke once more after some unknown time had passed, shaken to her senses from the thoughts of her situation. Her breaths came in shaky gulps, knowing that her destination was still a few feet from her location. It was unbearable, imagining the terrible pain that she would have to endure until she made it to Spike. Rarity whimpered, but she knew that if she didn’t do this they would both be dead. _I have to…do this…_ Thinking before Rarity kept crawling, the mare had an idea. Her horn lit up, enveloping her back in her sapphire aura, to prevent her body from moving too much as she made her way over to Spike.

“Almost there, darling,” the unicorn whispered to the unconscious dragon as much as to herself. Rarity managed to sigh and smile as the snow continued to fall from the sky. “I would take…a day at the spa…and an afternoon with you…over this- any day.” _Though…I am afraid that there is nothing for it._

Her pulling resumed, the magical field around her body taking much of the stress away from her. However she still screamed, the spasms of her muscles continuing to drive Rarity to unconsciousness. After several more agonizing minutes of dragging her half useless body through the near hypothermic snow covered lands, the mare managed to rest her hooves on a purple arm. Her form shook involuntarily from the frigid temperatures, making her release a shrill shriek of surprise and agony, before she pulled herself closer to the still relatively warm dragon.

Rarity allowed herself a sigh of relief from hearing Spike’s heart thrum in his chest as she laid her head against him. _He’s still…_ She laughed and tightened her hold on the dragon. _Thank Celestia…but…he’s not nearly as warm as he should be._ “I am not too late. Hold on, Spike. I am going to get us out of here.” She calmed herself down using her deep breathing technique, before her mind focused on her, Spike and the cave off to her left. _This is going to hurt…isn’t it?_

A scream echoed through the cave as Rarity materialized inside the crevice, still holding the ambassador in her arms. She had been hoping that being under the same strain so many times would allow her to adjust to and ignore the aching, but her hope was not answered. Rarity couldn’t breathe, her mouth open wide and her head dropped to the uneven floor of the cave. Her lungs were burning and her hooves were shaking by the time she lost the energy to voice her suffering. The unicorn thought it was less painful than the previous crash from the air, but her adrenaline and the sharp needles in her back were clouding her mind.

When she finally managed to breathe again, she tried to take in shallow gasps to minimalize the pain from her broken body. Her breathing became more even, and Rarity took to brushing the quickly melting snow from Spike’s arms and chest. When her head was clear again and she managed to focus her eyes, her heartbeat quickened fearfully. _What on earth is…?_ She touched a hoof to some snow and ice still present on the left side of his chest. The fashionista tried to wipe it off, becoming more and more frantic as the patch of white remained.

_What is this thing?!_ She winced as her excitement caused her body to seize up. The lady lay her hoof on the ice and snow, staring into the closed eyes of the dragon beside her. It was a relief to Rarity to feel any kind of heat emanating from Spike’s body, warming her up due to their close proximity. Her mind drifted back to what she had dreamed of before she woke to this frozen wasteland. Blood rushed into the unicorn’s cheeks as she looked off into the cavern, embarrassed by what her mind had gone to, to avoid the real situation. “What was that?” she asked, eyes jolting back at the dragon’s chest when she felt something odd shift beneath the ice patch.

She couldn’t identify why, but Rarity could feel the ice grow further into Spike’s body. Her sapphire eyes widened in fear as her horn lit up. Her aura surrounded the frozen patch of skin in an attempt to melt the ice and snow. _Whatever this is, it is burrowing into him. If this should converge on Spike’s heart…_ “Spike, please…please fight it, you have to.” Her throat clenched, making her unable to voice her concerns any further. What was this patch on his chest? It felt just like ice and snow to the fashionista, but after a few minutes of applying heat on it through her horn, Rarity felt tears welling up in her eyes and running down her cheeks. It hadn’t melted at all. Her breathing shook again, her mouth remaining open uselessly. _I can’t save him…_

The unicorn whimpered helplessly, holding onto the dragon in desperation. “S-Spike…please…please don’t die…” Rarity felt her tears flowing down her cheeks and hitting the dragon’s scales. She tightened her grip on him, gasping in sadness that she might never hear his voice or see him smile at her again.

“Please…please don’t die, Spike…I love you.”


	21. Chapter 21

Spike

He felt as though he were falling.

Though all around him was pitch black, he could feel the sensation vertigo brought on when one was falling. He could hear the wind howling all round him, but felt as though he was hearing it through a tunnel.

As the sensation continued on and his ear drums popped, he felt the air rushing past him lessen, which he thought odd. His inertia and initial drowsiness kept him from making out much of his situation, until a shriek broke past the eerie gale. It sounded like it was coming from above; an animal crying for help. It felt so familiar, but he couldn’t figure out who it could be.

He began to look more franticly for a way through this darkness, to help whoever this familiar pony was, but when he reached forward with his claws, he was met with a sort of barrier. Pushing on this black casing revealed nothing but the presence of an impenetrable shadow.

The wind was growing louder now, picking up speed as the momentum built up. The shouting continued, but was becoming more distant as his pounding on the dark prison turned more violent. Another voice joined the cacophony of sounds and his scratching ceased. It was calm, determined and close.

His head jerked forward as the sensation of falling disappeared. A roar went out above him that nearly shattered his ear drums. He placed his claws against the barrier again, still unable to see anything around him. The roaring continued as he felt the ground come up under him. The sound of claws on snow caught his ears as a high pitched shriek answered the roar. There seemed to be a dozen of these noises from all round him, growing in volume which caused him to cover his ears.

He heard the sound of fire enveloping the area surrounding him, a resounding heat that he could feel within this blackness. The pounding resumed as he struggled to free himself from whatever was keeping him from seeing the outside world.

Another shout of anger went up just above him and he fought to remember who it could be. Something flew through the air and punctured what he could only guess as flesh, cutting the voice off abruptly. Silence took over. Still he scratched and punched at the solid shadows, feeling his heart rate pick up as what he thought was holding him began to stagger. The animal shouted again, this time considerably quieter than before.

He felt the heat of the fire consume everything around him. Wind currents changed and he felt himself being lifted up into the air again. The projectiles flew past him, constantly heard through the scorching blaze from this creature carrying him.

It spun, or so the vertigo he was now feeling led him to believe, continuing to burn the ground and whatever their attackers below were. The sounds of the flying objects faded into nothing as the heat dissipated round him. He heard a grunt as the creature landed shakily on the snow once more. The animal toppled over, as it hit the snow. The creature had lost its grip on him and was now breathing raggedly.

From within his dark prison, his chest was beating wildly, trying to force his way out of this place and save whoever had risked his or her life to save him. He was enveloped in heat once again as he seemed to be moved. He was so close to this creature, he could hear its heart beat growing more and more distant and its breath slowing. It gasped for air and he lost the will to keep digging. He wanted to scream, to tell whatever it was to smash open this casing in order for him to fly it to safety, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t form any words to speak and ask for aid.

He listened as the creature coughed and sputtered, before muttering something in a speech he could not understand. It continued its struggle for air for a few more moments before its final breath entered his ears. They strained for any semblance of movement or heart beat or breath, anything to tell him that whoever had saved him was still alive.

Through the veil of darkness he placed one ear against the case, wishing that he wasn’t alone. He shuttered and drew in a ragged breath as he took his ear away from whatever this prison was.

Silence once again took over the expanse.

“No!” Spike jerked awake, eyes opening wide to take in his surroundings. His vision was blurred, unable to make out anything, though he wasn’t worried about that at the moment. _Who was that?_ What _was that?_ He groaned and shut his weary eyes. They burned with sleeplessness. _The first dream I have in weeks and it’s a nightmare. Terrific._

He blinked his eyes open again, attempting to find his focus and understand where he was. He couldn’t bring himself to think about what had happened before this. The only thing in mind was the dream he had just experienced. It was unlike anything he had ever known, but strangely, he felt as though it actually happened at some point. _Ridiculous,_ he thought drowsily. He fought off his initial inertia and squinted at the area once again. He felt like something was pressed against him, slumped over his chest as he lay on his side.

“S-Spike!” a familiar voice called. It was close, echoing loudly within his overly sensitive ear drums. It was still difficult to tell what, or who, had spoken, but he could feel the pressure on his chest strengthen; like whoever had shouted at him was using his body as leverage to venture closer. Spike could make out white against the background of this…cave? _How did I…?_

Spike felt hooves wrap around him, and warmth enter his chest. He shuddered suddenly. _I’m…I’m cold. How?_ His memory was still cloudy. He could not yet grasp what was happening round him, but his vision was becoming clearer. The dragon heard soft sobs emanating from in front of him.

He focused first on the white coat and purple mane before him, clinging to his body as he began to recall. “Rarity?”

The seamstress lifted her own eyes to him at his call. “Yes, Spike. I’m here.” Tears ran freely down her face as she smiled up at him. Racking sobs escaped her lips as she hugged him tighter. She lowered her head to stare at his chest. “I thought you were…that I…”

“What’s wrong? What happened?” All other thoughts were pushed firmly aside as he watched his lady crying and fretting over him. He tried to move; to have a better look at the mare of his dreams, but a pain unlike any other tore through his chest and lungs. He gasped in agony and heard his cry echoed back at him as he clamped a claw over his chest. _So…we are in a cave._

“Spike! Please, don’t move. You’re hurt.”

_Hurt? The last thing I remember was flying over the Ibexian Tundra._ Spike was confused, but he thought that he was beginning to grasp the situation. _We were going to find a dragon colony._

Unaware of the inner turmoil that the dragon was experiencing, Rarity continued on explaining. Her voice was unexpectedly strained and quiet. “I needed to see if you had any injuries. I would have used the first aid kit that we brought from Manehattan, but…there were no scars or cuts, only a few bruises and scrapes. I couldn’t believe that you had lost no blood from such a fall.” The proper lady took a few calming breaths, before smiling at him. “You are a tough dragon.”

Spike’s face flushed with pride hearing her say that. It was the way in which she said it: not in the flirtatious sort of way that he was accustomed to hearing her say such things, but just a happy, sincere and truly glad tone. “Thank you.”

Rarity let out a laugh that sounded more like a sob. Her lower lip trembled as her grasp lessened. “Don’t thank me yet. I…I didn’t think that I could save you. I-I didn’t know…what to do.” She sniffed miserably and Spike placed a claw under her chin to keep her gaze.

“Rarity, calm down. What’s going on? Where are we?” He had so many questions bouncing around in his skull he probably sounded just as frantic as the fashionista did, but he tried to keep his priorities straight.

The white pony took a calming breath and stared up at him in concern. “We crash landed in the Ibexian Tundra. You blacked out for some reason and…and we almost died. I managed to slow us down by teleporting us both. The velocity of our fall was halved when I teleported us closer to the ground, but…you still…”

She turned away, Spike seeing the beginnings of more tears developing at the corners of her eyes. “Rarity?” he asked, attempting to lean around to see her face. The pain kept him rooted to the same spot. _What is this that I’m feeling? My lungs feel…_ He gasped for air, _feel frozen._

After a few minutes of silence, the fashionista stared back at him again. He could see the undisguised fear in those sapphire spheres of hers as she continued. “I did not see what hit you, but I did see what you were hit with…after we landed.” Rarity pointed to Spike’s chest with a hoof, her eyebrows knitted in worry. The ambassador followed her gaze and saw an icy patch on his scales, just below where his lungs and heart were.

He felt out of breath upon seeing what he assumed was ice and snow covering his body. “What…what is…?”

Rarity shook her head at his unfinished question, most likely guessing how it ended. “It nearly killed you. If…if I hadn’t been here and attempted to heal you…you…” Spike watched as she took another calming breath. A few more tears dropped from her eyes and onto his scales. She focused back on him and spoke. “I wasn’t able to remove this completely…whatever it is, it is some powerful magic…but I managed to cease its advance on your heart and prevent it from doing any harm to your insides.”

Spike gawked at her, feeling all sorts of emotions wash over him. “You…you did that?” Rarity nodded her head silently, as they lay in this deep, dank cave together.

“…yes.”

“You…you…saved me.” Rarity looked away, fresh tears brimming at the bottoms of her sapphire eyes. “Please, Rarity…don’t cry.” He draped his right arm over the unicorn’s back. She cried out in pain, and Spike immediately retracted his arm. “I’m sorry! What-?”

The white mare’s jaw was clenched and her eyes were shut tight. It was then that Spike noticed how tired she appeared. Her mane was a disheveled mess, her eyes bloodshot with dark circles under them. Her coat was also covered in a layer of dirt and dust, Spike couldn’t even see her cutie-mark. It made him gasp, seeing her in such a dreadful state; it was worse than how she looked at the end of a difficult dress order.

She slowly lifted her eyes up to his again and winced. “I never wanted you to know.” The dragon felt a lump in his throat at her words. Rarity’s eyes looked so hurt, so scared. So guilty. He swallowed.

“Know what?”

They kept each other’s gaze for a few tense moments, but eventually Rarity sighed and broke eye contact with him. “It happened while you were in Canterlot, about two years ago now. I was out finding gemstones and I had put myself through a severe strain, because I had overloaded my saddlebags.” She took another breath and swallowed before raising her head up to him again.

“My body seized up…and I fell to the dirt, unable to move. I yelled for somepony to help me, but I soon realized that it was diamond dog territory. I only had one more option, because I would not be found if I simply lay there. I casted a teleportation spell that Twilight taught me in case of emergencies. I had no idea of the pain I would experience from teleporting while injured.”

She clamped her mouth shut, seeming to be in pain from just the memory. “It was excruciating. I made it back to Ponyville, collapsing on the ground and crying out. Within seconds, I fell unconscious. I awoke next in the Ponyville hospital, hours later. All of our friends were there, smiling hopefully at me.” At this point Rarity managed a small smile, probably attempting to lessen the worry in Spike’s eyes. “The doctors explained that I had experienced a back strain and Twilight said that because I cast a spell under extreme stress and injury that I hadn’t been able to reanimate myself correctly.

“I passed out from the sheer shock of my joints and muscles not being connected properly. I was out within a week, but both the doctor and Twilight warned me that the muscle would most likely be weaker after that and would be more easily strained. Because I had teleported, it was only worse. I took it easy from then on, but they all worried about me; especially Pinkie, the little dear.” She managed to return her eyes to the dragon ambassador, eyes still glistening.

“It’s happened again.” She swallowed. “When I teleported us closer to the ground, I saved you from a fall that would not be survivable otherwise, but despite that I have been cripplingly injured.” She shook her head remorsefully, her lower lip trembling. “Spike, my back is broken. I’m so…so sorry.” Rarity took an unsteady gasp of air, her hooves shaking as they lay on his chest. “I saw you lying there in the snow…unmoving. I had to bring you to safety. I dragged myself over to you and once again teleported us into this cave. I mended your wounds and stayed awake, waiting for you to regain consciousness.”

Spike shut his eyes, letting his tears fall after hearing what he made her do. _I…I can’t believe it. I…I did it again…_

“Don’t you _dare_ blame yourself, Spike!” yelled Rarity, breaking his thoughts from seconds earlier. His emerald eyes flew open to see that her normally cheerful face was instead one of anger, placed firmly on him. “Don’t you _dare_ think that any of this was your fault!” Tears still streaked down her face, but she didn’t even seem to notice.

He didn’t bother hiding it. It seemed that Rarity knew him too well. Spike swallowed hard, seeing the determined look crossing her face, defusing the argument that he had. “But…but I…”

“Please…” she whispered, losing all of that determination in one smooth motion. Her head fell to his chest and her grip on him lessened. “please don’t. Don’t make me hurt you again. I can’t…I can’t…” She began to sob outright, tears soaking his scaled chest.

Spike wanted to hold her, desperately. He wished that he could console her and tell her that she had never hurt him, but he couldn’t. So he let her cry into him, tears flowing down his purple scales until she couldn’t cry anymore. They both fell asleep like that, in silence.

Hours later, the dragon lifted one eye open blearily. He blinked a few times to regain his focus. It was dark out now, Spike having no idea how long he had initially been unconscious. He could see the sky quite clearly through the entrance to the cavern. Luna’s moon kept watch over the world, surrounded on all sides by thousands of twinkling stars that made up the constellations. Spike felt a breeze carry on through the opening as he turned to check on Rarity.

She was still there against his chest, finally resting after he had woken up. He worried about her; about how long she had been up, taking care of and watching over him. The ambassador felt the guilt well up in him as he glanced at her back. _I caused this,_ he thought miserably. _I-if I hadn’t left, then…she wouldn’t have been in trouble in the first place._

A white hoof rested loosely over his stomach, while Rarity herself had shifted to be sleeping on the dirt next to him. He managed to smile at the thought that in any other situation, Rarity could not have stood being covered in dirt. Spike swelled with pride that the mare would go to such lengths for his safety. It made him hopeful that maybe something had changed, and that she did care for him more than just as a friend. This was not the time for that though.

She had agreed to come along with him, made an effort to make up for whatever she thought she did years ago and now some unknown time ago she saved his life. “I have to do something for her,” he whispered as he felt the soft rise and fall of Rarity’s chest against his scales. He glanced around and found that Rarity’s saddlebags had been mangled from the crash landing. “It doesn’t seem like most of the food survived the fall, either that or Rarity threw it away after teleporting to have less weight on her back.”

Spike wiggled his way out of the unicorn’s grasp, placing her hoof tenderly next to her. She looked so peaceful as she lay there, a light smile settled on her breathtaking face. _Rarity looks so adorable and beautiful right now. I’ve never seen her like this._

“Mm…Spike?” Spike’s eyes shifted from her body to her face, finding that she was startled awake. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and soon locked themselves onto Spike’s as her drowsiness seemed to fade away. Rarity stopped smiling and tilted her head at him. “Where are you going?”

The dragon gulped silently, attempting to find a believable excuse for what he was doing up. “I…I had to go out for a little bit,” replied Spike, unable to come up with a better reason. His breathing was steady, he was thankful for that, so he hoped that Rarity would be fooled. Spike didn’t enjoy being untruthful to Rarity, but he wanted to surprise her with what food that he could find. “I’m sorry I woke you.”

The two of them stared at each other for a tense minute. After a while Spike imagined that she had figured him out and didn’t believe him; Rarity’s eyes shifted around looking at him, probably searching for a sign that he had been lying to her. Eventually, her sapphire eyes relaxed, but they still held a worried expression as she replied, “Please don’t go too far.”

“…I won’t,” he promised.

_I can’t believe I’m doing this,_ Spike thought as he emerged into the night. _I can’t believe I let her come with me. She doesn’t deserve this. I…I wanted to protect her and now Rarity is the injured one._ He shook his head, walking forward to investigate his abandoned saddlebag.

The air around him was cool, but no wind was blowing at this time. Spike was thankful to feel his own warmth returning to him. Something began to trouble him as he searched for anything still intact. _What could have made me so cold?_ Spike had never been cold before, being a dragon. It wasn’t comforting to think about.

Rarity had given his warmth back, a selfless act that he would never forget. He managed to smile as thoughts about the mare entered his mind. _She doesn’t know how generous she is, but now at least I have proof whenever she starts doubting herself._ Spike’s smile turned into a grimace as he dragged the saddlebag out from the snow. _I brought her here without thinking…and now she has taken the brunt that should have been mine to bear. I’m such an idiot._

Spike touched the icy patch on his chest and looked to the stars at that moment, feeling the guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders. _Rarity said that she hurt me…but it’s me, Luna. Please help me. I don’t know what to do._ He clenched his teeth together and lowered his head to stare at the snow beneath his claws. The meals were frozen and mangled, but still salvageable; at this moment he was happy that he was a dragon, able to heat the meal with his fire breath. Spike took in some air as he realized that Rarity would not have eaten since they fell. He didn’t know how long it had been, but he couldn’t risk letting the white unicorn starve, not because of him.

Without a second thought, the dragon grabbed the saddlebag in his mouth and ran back to the cavern. Within, Spike found Rarity still awake, but her head was lowered to the floor tiredly. She caught sight of him and raised her head back up to greet him.

“S-Spike! You’re okay.” She smiled that smile that Spike had adored for years and waited for him to approach her. Rarity appeared so frail in that moment; so exhausted from the entire ordeal. _Wound one of us…and the other feels the same,_ he thought bitterly.

“You shouldn’t have waited up for me,” whispered Spike as he slowed when he neared the mare. He shook his head. “You need your rest. You’re exhausted.” The ambassador lowered the saddlebag to the ground and pulled out the frozen meal.

Rarity merely smiled at him, a weary grin. “As if I could sleep when you are out in the wilderness. I was too worried to sleep, Spike.”

Spike heard a chuckle escape his lips when she said that. _Worried about me? I’m not the one that…_ He cut himself off there, not daring to finish that line of thought. Instead he pushed one of the unbroken plates with the meal closer to the mare and proceeded to warm it with his dragon breath. “You need to eat. I managed to find my saddlebag, and thankfully the food in them is still alright to eat. This should warm you up a little.”

The fashionista hummed in pleasure as she gazed upon the ravioli and red peppers. “One of your best dishes as I recall. You’re going to spoil me, dear. Thank you.” Rarity once again smiled up at him in silence, seeming to be waiting for something.

Spike sputtered out some incoherent babble as he became uncomfortable under her gorgeous eyes. He shut his mouth tight before he could make himself appear any more foolish. He heard Rarity giggle at his expense and loved that he had brought that laugh and that smile out of her. Spike needed Rarity to be happy; to smile and laugh and to feel every kind of joy that she could. Now he didn’t feel as though he deserved her affections, the things that he did to her. _She seems to be happier when around me, but how can she be when I know that I’m the one that brought her along? I know that Rarity insisted…but if I just hadn’t told her…and…left?_ The dragon tightened his jaw, understanding that he wouldn’t have done that to her again.

“Spike,” she whispered, breaking him out of his imaginings. Rarity patted the floor next to her, never letting her eyes drop from him. “Come and sit with me. Aren’t you hungry as well?”

The dragon swallowed hard at the way she was looking at him. _She’s just…smiling at me…while- while she has a broken back…that I…_ Wordlessly, Spike walked over and lay down beside the white unicorn, feeling his face burning and his heart aching for the proper lady. “Yeah…but you need it more than I do. I’ll be fine.”

Rarity shook her head. “I cannot do that, Spike. You are just as hungry as I am. If you do not eat then neither of us will.” Seeming to notice his hesitance, she added, “Please.”

He nodded, unable to say no to the pony. Spike felt her lean into him and sigh contentedly, making every muscle in his body tense up. He sat up straight and stared forward at the cavern opening. _What…what is she doing?_ “A-alright, but…we will need to split it fairly.”

“Are you alright, my little _Spikey-Wikey_?” Rarity touched a hoof to his shoulder. Spike blinked in anxiety and turned to face the mare beside him. She still held that smile on her face, but now she stared at him with her eyes lidded slightly.

“Uh yeah…I’m fine,” said the dragon managing to look Rarity in the eyes again. She smiled back at him and seemed to relax into him as she took the first few bites of the salvaged meal. The fashionista moaned her approval.

Rarity said, “Spike, this is delicious. Having this again after so many years, I daresay that you have improved upon the dish.” She gave him a sly smirk, probably knowing that he had indeed made a few adjustments over the years.

Spike chuckled at her cute reaction, able to relax into the conversation. “Thank you. I did add a few new spices to it this time.”

For a few moments, the two ate in silence. The ambassador held onto a smile as Rarity occasionally complimented his cooking ability, saying how the spices that he used worked well together or how the ravioli was perfectly heated; Spike was especially happy hearing that from her. For the most part they said nothing, enjoying each other’s company, but the dragon still did not know the full extent of his injuries.

He had no idea what this snow would have done to him if Rarity had not been here. He needed to know what this thing was on his chest. _I need to know how long I was out for…and how long she’s been awake,_ he thought. “Rarity?”

She said, “Yes, dear?” The fashionista turned her head from the meal after a moment of silence between them, dropping her smile once Rarity saw his expression.

“How…?” He hesitated, jaw clenching, suddenly fearing what the answer could be. Spike locked his gaze with hers and spoke what was on his mind. “How long was I unconscious?” Rarity’s control over her magic faltered slightly as she held another piece of ravioli in her grasp. She sighed and placed it down on the plate, turning away from him.

After a tense moment, she faced the ambassador again and replied, “Two days, Spike.”

“Two…” Spike blinked in disbelief. “Two whole days? How?”

“You were not cut or bleeding, but you were injured on the inside.” She rested a hoof on the snow and ice on his chest, tears beginning to well up in her eyes again. “I do not know what this is, but it nearly killed you. You may have trouble breathing for the rest of your life, or you may not.” Rarity sniffed and wiped away her tears with a hoof. “I do not know the full extent of injury that the ice caused you.”

Spike asked, “And…what about you?”

“I was out for only a few minutes,” she replied, glancing up at him. “When you first crashed, I lost my hold on you and I flew from your back, landing a few feet from you. I only had enough time to see you lying in the snow before I fell unconscious as well. I awoke a few minutes after that. When it happened…” The mare hesitated, appearing oddly bashful, though Spike could not tell why. “Initially I had no idea where I was. I wasn’t in my bed, in my house or on my sofa. I suppose the fall made me forget briefly. I felt so groggy. I remembered everything when I attempted to stand. It was not nearly as painful as before though, thankfully. And then I remembered you.”

Spike swallowed hard. He didn’t like where this story was headed, nor did he like how she was looking at him now. “You were still lying there a-and…and I didn’t know what to do. What could I do? That’s when I spotted this cave not too far from where we landed. ‘At least there was that’, I thought to myself, before I decided.” Her expression became firm and determined, staring directly into Spike’s eyes as she continued. “I had to get you out of the cold. I said that I would look after you and I meant it, Spike. I crawled toward you, keeping my body still with my magic to ease the pain and I teleported us in here.”

“I…I don’t…” He didn’t know what to say. Seeing her expression and hearing what she sacrificed for him only made the dragon appreciate her more for who she was. No matter what she said about herself, being selfish or mean spirited, Spike would never believe a word of it; not after this. _You’re not selfish. I’m glad that I know you, and I have you to thank for helping me to be so generous to everypony._

Rarity shook her head with a soft smile on her face. “You don’t have to say anything, darling. I stand by my earlier statement. You are my friend; my _best_ friend.”

Spike swallowed his response and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on her cheek, before responding. “Thank you, Rarity.” He sat back up, sweat already forming on his face as he realized what he just did. The cave grew silent as the dragon glanced anywhere but the unicorn, fearful of what she would say or do after his actions. His face was heating up, his cheeks rosy at the inexcusable thing that he had just done.

“You’re welcome, Spike,” she said. The answer came so swiftly to the ambassador that he hadn’t even had time to flinch. He lay there with a bashful grin returning to his face. Spike looked at her and smiled.

He said, “You’d better get some rest. If you’ve been watching over me for two days, you must be tired.”

Rarity shook her head. “Oh no, I’m fine. Honestly.” She was making a good effort to seem awake; she couldn’t hide the tiredness behind those eyes though, still begging her for some rest.

“Please, Rarity. I know that you need sleep. You always made it important to get enough sleep back in Ponyville, and being out here and injured should only make it more necessary. It’s my turn to watch over you.”

Rarity stared back at him with those sapphire eyes in surprise. They softened when he looked back at her pleadingly, asking that she listen to him. The unicorn nodded with a slight chuckle. “Alright. You really are too sweet to me.” She lowered her head to the cave floor and smiled kindly at the dragon before shutting her eyes.

Spike wanted to say that she was the sweet one for putting up with him even though she knew that he loved her; that he wasn’t deserving to be called sweet, doing what he did to her. Instead, he smiled at the mare now sleeping soundly against his chest. He was happy at least to be a good heated pillow for her. _But what about when she wakes up?_ She couldn’t be moved and they had a very limited amount of food. _Her back will still be broken and sleeping until it’s light out won’t change that._

The dragon kept his gaze on her sleeping form, glad and sad at the same time for having her come along. _She saved my life,_ he thought. _As long as I live, Rarity, I promise that I’ll protect you no matter what._ When Rarity continued to slumber peacefully, the dragon ambassador turned to stare out of the cave entrance at the roaring storm outside. _I’ll keep you safe, whatever it costs me._


	22. Chapter 22

The Nameless Knight

“Come. Show me your resolve to defend yourself and this land.”

The guard before him huffed and brandished the wooden sword in his magic. “I do not see what sparring with each other will help us anymore now than it has in the past.”

Dusk Darkhelm held a practice shield in his own field, both ponies deliberately circling around one another in a clockwise fashion. “I am merely testing your abilities at this point. So far I only know your names, not your strengths and weaknesses, your endurance.”

The dark stallion never had difficulty remembering names. He made a point to memorize each face and the name which went with it. He felt that it was rather ironic, given that he did not know his own name. Perhaps that was why he made such an effort. In the few short hours that the unicorn had spent asking these soldiers their names before beginning this practice, he had each one committed to memory. Now it was only a matter of learning what their unique abilities were in order to teach them.

“What makes you think this strategy of yours will make a difference when the time comes?” The stallion, whose name was Ironsides, swung his wooden sword toward Dusk. He in turn drew his shield up to match his opponent’s strike, a dull thud ringing out in the castle training grounds. Both stood like that, unmoving and putting no pressure on the weapons held in their magic. Once contact was broken, after a short while of Dusk listening to the other soldiers practicing with one another, Ironsides dipped his head slightly. “Ser.”

The show of stern courtesy was unnecessary, though not unexpected to the dark stallion. Dusk saw himself as equal to the other soldiers, even the day guard; however, perhaps because he was given an order by the Princess of the Night to teach them, and because she mentioned his commanding rank over the lunar guard, they saw him as a superior officer. _Whether that is the case or not,_ Dusk thought, _I at least have their respect._ He once again drew his shield up in front of him, slowly sidestepping around Ironsides. “I believe it will make a difference, for my princess has commanded me to teach you. Therefore, I will. These qualities have helped me many times in the past.”

Ironsides scoffed as his green eyes followed Dusk’s movements. “And how do you get to know these abilities of yours? How is it you are the best the princess has seen?” The white unicorn lunged at Dusk, sword swinging horizontally across the left side of his shield. Again, the night guard blocked the powerful stroke, this time turning his forward momentum against him and tossing Ironsides to the left.

He didn’t fall, but the look in his eyes told Dusk that his opponent hadn’t expected to have his strength cast aside so easily. Compared to Ironsides, the dark blue pony was slender. Not so much to be weak, but he had other methods of doing battle than brute strength. As Ironsides turned back around to face him, Dusk lowered his shield in his magical grasp.

“This is not the time to be discussing such matters,” he said simply. “My princess has told me to train you to use your mind as a weapon, and as a shield, so that is what I will do. As for the second question, we may discuss it together later. It may help you to understand this ability better.”

The other unicorn smirked after a moment; a careful and collected action that spoke volumes to Dusk. _He is interested to know about the traits that all lunar guard possess, now that he has seen some in practice._

Ironsides was much like the other stallions in the guard of the Sun Princess, broad of shoulder and stern of expression. They were no funny business types of soldiers, something that Dusk could appreciate. His armour was golden and thick, and the hair of his shimmering helm was red. However, Dusk could see the differences in his stature, his stance, and in his eyes. His attitude was far more relaxed than the other guards in his unit. _Perhaps even going so far as to say he is optimistic and trusting._

“You seem pretty loyal,” said the day guard, breaking Dusk from his contemplation to meet his gaze. “Maybe that could be a matter of discussion as well.” He galloped forward suddenly, swinging his sword at the dark unicorn several times. Dusk danced backward, deflecting each strike deftly.

On the final downward stroke of the practice sword, the dark stallion took hold of Ironsides’ hoof with his magic and flipped his opponent to the ground on his back, pinning him to the dirt with his shield.  “Perhaps, if you learn to be truly prepared.”

Ironsides grumbled as he lay pinned on the practice field. _And he is interested to know my connection with Princess Luna,_ Dusk reasoned, as he helped the guard to his hooves.

“I see your point, ser,” Ironsides conceded, sighing as he drew the sword in front of him. “Clearly, there is more for me to learn if I am to defend my homeland. I will take from this training what I am able.”

Dusk simply nodded his head, placing the shield on his armoured back. “Take a walk, ser. Once you return, False Step shall be training with me, and I wish for you to replace him, sparring with lady Spellfire.”

“Very well. I will take a shield in exchange for this wooden blade.”

“As you were, Ironsides.” With no further words, Dusk turned on his heels and made for his next opponent. While he approached, he witnessed the speed with which False Step, a pegasus guard, danced around the unicorn spellcaster. Neither appeared to be gaining any ground on the other, the red mare using several enchants to keep the speedster at bay. _These two seem to be a good match for one another, in terms of skill with defence._

False Step then took a series of turns and dodges, never staying in the same place for more than a few seconds. Spellfire followed close behind with her spells, appearing calm and collected as the passing breeze through the practice grounds. To Dusk it seemed as though the violet pegasus was finally gaining the upper hoof, darting this way and that, but on the last shift in position where the dark stallion expected False Step to attack, the ground where he set his left front hoof erupted in flame. The burst sent the guard falling backward as he shouted, landing on his side as he skidded to a halt.

Dusk trotted over and kneeled down to inspect the pony for any serious injuries. “Are you hurt?”

The violet guard grunted as he sat up. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” he responded, testing his wings and rubbing his burnt hoof. “And don’t be mad at her either. I asked her to do this. She’s a magic focused guard, and there isn’t a way to use wooden spells or anything.”

“Yet that spell may have gone a little too far,” Spellfire spoke up as she sauntered over. “My apologies, False Step, but I saw an opening.”

The pegasus stood with a firm smile as the pain on his face seemed to ebb away. “And you would be foolish not to have taken it.” Dusk pushed himself up shortly after, watching the display and contrasting the two characters with that of Ironsides.

_Clearly these two work on different methods of engagement and procedure, though they still also seem to work nicely together._ It was clear at this moment alone that False Step was a humble, but daring individual, as was Spellfire a stern yet kind hearted mare.

She was thinner than Ironsides was, though she still seemed sturdy like the other guards. Her face was fair, with sharp lavender eyes, and her posture was dainty and elegant. _A deceptive attempt at making yourself appear fragile._ The hair of her helm was indigo in colour, but her natural mane was long, slightly wavy and orange, reaching down to her shoulders. “My apologies on interrupting the two of you, but I would like a few minutes with False Step, if you would allow it.”

“He’s yours, Ser Dusk.” The red day guard smiled as she raised a hoof to her previous opponent. She turned her head to peer behind Dusk, before locking gazes once more. “Where has Ironsides gone?”

“I have sent him off for a moment to relax,” he replied. “When he returns, with shield in his aura, he will face you. I would suggest having a rest as well, before that time comes. Or, if you would prefer to wait and watch our practice, I would have no complaint.”

Spellfire nodded her head in acknowledgement. “If you would permit me, then I will watch. Examining stances and mannerisms when in combat are the key to understanding how your opponent will act. I have always had a sharp eye when it comes to a pony’s rhythm in battle.”

_That you do,_ Dusk imagined, not missing that keenly placed fire spell trap from earlier. He merely nodded in her direction, and turned to face False Step as the unicorn took a seat a few feet from them. He was slightly shorter than the other guards, and not quite as built as Spellfire was, but that would assist in avoidance. _Clearly he is built for speed, evasion and distraction; more for rescue and reconnaissance missions._ His face was slim, and there was a scar on his cheek and a few more down his forelegs. _For one so quick, it would seem he still leaves fights bloody._ “I see that you are agile. That is good in many ways with a larger, slower opponent.”

The pegasus, clad in the traditional gold armour and wrist blades of the pegasus division, took his stance. “Thanks. My speed has saved many lives from ending when out on patrol, though when it comes to brute strength I might not be the proper choice.”

“You do what you must to protect those you care about,” Dusk recited, taking the shield on his back in his magic. He held it out in front of himself, readying for a fast paced fight. “Strength is not the only ability one needs to be victorious.”

False Step smirked in response. “You want to talk mantras or do you want to teach me your night guard ways?” Before the dark unicorn could give an answer, the pegasus flattened his wings against his sides and dashed forward. Dusk drew back his shield and took to watching his opponent’s changing movements and fake outs, dodging blows from his hooves and his blades.

_He is fast, I’ll give him that. He has an excellent degree of aggression, necessary to keep enemies off balance._ He ducked underneath a left slice and sidestepped away to the left of False Step. It took little time for him to find his stance again, spinning around and continuing to dance around Dusk. _And he doesn’t take much time to recover._ Another step and there came a right punch that the night guard turned away with a hoof of his own.

The expression on the pegasus guard was one of focus and determination, Dusk could easily tell. Even though this was practice, he had no doubt that this was the same exact look False Step had on when in actual combat. Their training continued, the speedster advancing on the dark blue stallion and him retreating backward. _One must fight speed with speed in this case. A shield would only slow me down,_ he thought, casting the round wooden slab away from the field of battle.

Another step, and Dusk slid just a fraction out of the way of False Step’s blade, turning sideways and grabbing the pegasus’ extended hoof. In response, the violet guard fanned out his wings as Dusk tossed him aside, allowing the wind flowing in the opposite direction to break the speed of the throw. He landed, facing the unicorn with the greyish-blue mane, wings still extended. _Not bad._ Fighting resumed with False Step charging in and sidestepping around the dark stallion. Following with sharp eyes for an error in his stride, Dusk remained calm.

Block after block and deflection after deflection, the fighting continued. Dusk made no move on the quick pegasus unless to dodge an incoming slice or punch from his opponent. Each time, he could see the hoof placement just before False Step’s attack, turning the assault into a toss or throw and watched as the guard kept going. _Tenacious,_ he thought in approval as he caught a hoof meant to scratch his left cheek. _But meaningless when your tactics are predictable._

With a smooth rhythm of the breeze blowing through the castle courtyard, Dusk locked his shoulder with False Step’s chest and hefted the pegasus over, slamming him into the ground. He trapped the day guard in place, making certain that no major harm had been done to his opponent. He was breathing heavily, surprise plain in his eyes that he had been flipped completely over.

After a moment, Dusk let him go and pushed himself to his hooves once more. False Step made no move to stand, but kept his orange eyes fixed on the lunar guard. Dusk heard hoof steps from behind, approaching his location.

“Well fought, you two,” Spellfire announced as she stopped on the right side of the dark stallion. “A finely fought and well-paced battle. Colour me impressed.”

False Step groaned and lifted himself up to a seated position, rubbing his right wing where he landed. “Yeah, sure. You get to see somepony else wipe the floor with me.” Dusk turned from the pegasus to eye the red mare discreetly. Her facial expression didn’t change from a thin smile when he said that, lending to the idea that these two knew each other well. “How did you do that?”

Shaken from his wondering, the dark blue unicorn stared at False Step, who was still rubbing the sore spot on his side. “I apologize for the rough treatment, but I saw no other way of ending the fight than that.” The day guard rose to his hooves and brushed the dirt from his legs. “And to answer your question, you leave too much of a hint when you are about to attack.”

“What?”

“Spellfire has seen it too, I don’t doubt.” He turned to her and watched as she lowered her head. Dusk turned his gaze back to the pegasus and continued. “You are quite agile, and your tactics at deception and feinting are good; however, I fear that sharper-eyed opponents can see that false step is more than just your name.”

False Step turned his head and exhaled through his nose, appearing grim of face. “I suppose that’s true, ser. I try to switch my moves up, to keep enemies off their guard, but I can’t change how I step before finally committing to an attack. Most creatures out in the wilderness are simple-minded enough to not notice before I’m already miles away, with my job done. Though what you’ve just seen with Spellfire and yourself is likely what normally happens.”

“You will learn to hide that fallout, though, I am certain of it,” the orange-maned unicorn spoke up at last, raising her head to join the conversation.

Dusk nodded his head. “Indeed. And I shall teach you, if your wish is to improve your own abilities and save even more ponies from danger. The aid that you provide to the guard is honourable, and needed when so many are far slower than you; however, if you want to leave battles completely unscathed, with citizens unharmed, then I can offer you this training.”

The pegasus blinked in shock from his words, glancing down at his forelegs briefly before raising his head back up. Within a few seconds, the determined and unwavering gaze from when the fight started had returned to his features. “I appreciate what help you can give to me, Ser Dusk.”

“Hey, what did I miss?” called a familiar voice. Dusk and the two day guard turned their heads to see Ironsides approaching. He had a wooden shield in his magical grasp for the next scheduled practice spar.

“Ah, you are returned,” Dusk replied, nodding his head. “We were merely talking of further practice with False Step’s fight style. I see you are ready to begin with Spellfire, Ironsides.”

The white stallion dipped his head in acknowledgement and turned to stare at his next opponent. “I trust Ser Dusk has mentioned this match up prior to this meeting? The last time we sparred there was no clear cut winner.”

“Indeed,” the red mare replied, beginning to step away from Dusk and False Step. “I have improved much since that previous battle.”

Ironsides huffed as they wandered away side by side. “I would be disappointed if you hadn’t. Now here’s hoping I have learned a thing or two from my spar with Ser Dusk, despite my older visage.”

The night guard returned his attention to the pegasus before him, seeing that he had recovered quite quickly from his winded appearance. _High stamina as well,_ Dusk imagined. _Perfect qualities to keep foes off balance and guessing._ “And you, ser. Take a breather for now. And have that burn from earlier checked.”

“But-”

“I’ll have no injuries that become out of hoof. That is an order.”

After a brief pause, False Step straightened up and nodded sternly at Dusk. “Ser.” The violet pegasus spread his wings and took off into the air, off to the infirmary to have his burn monitored. He watched him leave for a time, then turned his attention to the rest of the soldiers.

Thuds and spells rung out from the sparring grounds, wooden swords and shields wielded by the Sun Princess’ guard crashed against one another and pegasi fought on both land and in the air with one another. Earth ponies dodged kicks and grabs and punches as training continued unabated. It had been several hours since it began, and Dusk Darkhelm had only a few more ponies to deal with at practice.

As he made his way over to the last of the troops given to him by the princesses, the lunar guard imagined that they had done well in overall training. Each individual had a unique style with which they fought, not surprising to the unicorn. Some clearly learned from one another on stances and forms of combat, some being newer than other, hardened warriors, but they had made themselves stand out among their fellow soldiers.

Some were more adept at magic than others, such as Spellfire and Wind Catcher, though the latter used more defensive spells than offensive ones; others had speed on their side, like the green unicorn Fleet Strike, though none were quite as fast as Charm Spirit. She was a grey earth pony with some wrist blades that she had fashioned for herself, far more durable and deadly than those of False Step’s. Most, as Dusk had predicted, were slower, sturdier stallions and mares that used either their strength of legs or magic, or ever changing battle stances. All had certain tactics for battle, certainly, and a few even used their mind and leverage over such things to confuse and outmanoeuver enemies.

He fought with them all, made sure what it was that they needed to improve on, who, if anypony among them, had a fight style that would help them expand their prowess in battle and linked their specific abilities to the names Dusk had committed to memory. _So far, it seems as though I have earned their trust through this training,_ he thought, wandering through those he had fought previously. “Do not overwork yourselves!” he called out to the soldiers. “I promise you, you will feel worse in the morning than you ever have before! You feel tired, you will take a break!”

“Ser!” they answered back in unison, some taking heed of his words and sitting out for a few moments. The rest, the majority, kept fighting. It was good to see that these ponies had such dutiful minds and caring hearts about defending their lands, or so the similar and resolute expressions Dusk saw on their faces led him to believe as he sauntered past.

As he approached the few remaining day guard sparring one on one, he felt hope that he was doing his princess of the night proud, firm in his belief that he could achieve what she asked of him. The four remaining ponies turned to face the dark unicorn as he ceased in his stride. They nodded to Dusk in acknowledgement, and the guard of the night magicked a shield over to him, followed by a practice sword.

“Let’s make this interesting, shall we?”

The field was silent as the rest of the guard stood around, all facing the same point. No words were spoken, and only the constant crashes of sword and shield and cast spells were heard.

Dusk tossed aside a masterful stroke of a wrist blade with his shield on the left and caught another wooden blade with his own on the right. One opponent was already lying down from the duel, having been taken from the fight by two guards who were not participating. The dark unicorn had asked to duel all of them, four on one, with whatever they wished to use; one chose magic, two with sword and shield and a fourth with wrist blades.

The second sword and shield wielder, named Fate Chaser had been taken, and only three remained. A stream of fire came crashing into Dusk’s raised shield. Fortunately, most of the shields here were metal, so there was little worry that anything would catch fire. He saw out of the corner of his eye, how Saber Showers, a beige pegasus mare, was flying in for another assault. He leant back on his hind legs and grabbed one of her own back legs with his hoof.

Dusk readied to slam the pegasus to the dirt with what momentum she had built up on her way over, but instead, he was forced to let go and step to the left around a shot of ice from Dream Waker, a unicorn with a brown coat and silver mane. The guard of the night readied his weapons as Saber Showers and Twin Lightning, the unicorn mare with her sword and shield, recovered.

He could see Dream Waker casting another spell as Twin Lightning galloped forward, swiping down hard with her blade. Dusk jumped to the left side, blocked her sword with his and knocked her off her hooves with a swift and heavy bash from his shield. The dark stallion heard a shout from behind and turned his head in time to see the pegasus flying forward with blades ready. With no time to spin around and use his weapon, he pushed himself up on his hind legs and blocked the pony’s attack that would have otherwise bloodied him at the neck with his dark armour.

Dusk spun around with his shield directed at the unicorn caster and sword pointed left, where Saber Showers had flown. The wind shifted suddenly on his right, and the night guard felt the heat coming up on his side. It surrounded and almost overtook the shield, though he kept his magical grasp on the piece of metal. The pegasus dove and weaved in the air as she approached, trying to confuse Dusk.

He stayed focused and never lost sight of the day guard, still remembering that he had the unicorn to contend with afterward. As blades connected, he could tell that the unicorn was moving around his shield, still casting his flame spell to catch him unawares. Before either of them could react, the stallion turned his blade and spun the pegasus off balance. She crashed into the ground at Dusk’s hooves and from around his shield he threw his sword into the dirt before Dream Waker’s hooves.

The heat dissipated, and Dusk heard a shout as the teal blue unicorn jumped slightly at the wooden blade before him. Dusk dropped his shield and aided Saber Showers to her hooves, before turning to the four ponies. “A splendid show of teamwork. And you told me that the four of you had only just met.” Still out of breath from the combat, the four guard of Princess Celestia nodded their heads in thanks. “If I had not been a unicorn, this battle would have ended much differently.”

Suddenly, the courtyard erupted in cheer and applause. Dusk turned to see the rest of the guard shouting out at the fight they had just witnessed, smiles spread across all of their faces at the show. Dusk spun around and went to check on Fate Chaser, to make certain that he had sustained no injuries. The two ponies attending him assured the dark blue pony that no lasting harm was done.

The stallion exhaled in relief and faced the soldiers around him. “Well done, all of you. I would expect nothing less but a steadfast day guard to watch over the populace as they stroll about their daily lives. You honour your princesses with your bravery.”

“Ser!” they once again shouted as one.

Dusk smiled. Not too large, just a small smile from the shared respect between them. “Now if only the Princess of the Sun could have seen this.” He shut his eyes a moment, and once he reopened them, each soldier was seated in the courtyard, in the rows that they had greeted Dusk in.

Each pony in turn either stood or looked around in disbelief and bewilderment, seeing that all of the weapons and shields they had were now gone from their grasp. “How…what happened?” Ironsides asked of the night guard, while the rest began to search for answers.

“We are finished for the day,” he said simply, no longer smiling. “Your first day in the dreamscape has ended, and I daresay you will require much rest if we are to continue tomorrow.”

“Dreamscape?” Slipstream called out from a few rows back. “Do you mean to say that all of that was in our minds?”

Dusk shook his head. “No. I merely transferred your subconscious into the dreamscape after I put you all to sleep. For now, you must rely on my mind as the catalyst for entering the dreamscape, though in time it will come far more easily to you.”

As if they were just waiting for that very response, each guard who stood moments ago from their sleep, stumbled and fell back to the ground in exhaustion. “That may have been a dream as you said,” Fate Chaser groaned, while he struggled to keep on his haunches. “but I still feel like you put me through a pain equal to the expanses of Tartarus.”

The dark stallion dipped his head. “That is another part of entering the dream world for the first time, in the way that you have. Unlike dreams, you must adapt to the dreamscape. Minutes within it feel like hours here, you tire more rapidly within the confines of that world, and injuries are felt more heavily without, though you received none in the waking world. Do not worry. The first time within the dreamscape is always the most trying.”

He allowed them a few moments to recover from the strain they doubtlessly felt from the switch, before watching them enter back into the castle. Ironsides stepped up in front of him, smiling slightly despite the change. “Ser Dusk, we would be honoured to have you join us at the dining hall. All of the guard will be there, if you are willing to stay up longer.”

The blue-maned stallion contemplated his offer only briefly, before bowing his head in courtesy. “Though I have not slept naturally in two days, the visit to the dreamscape should be enough to spend a few more hours with all of you.”

“Two whole days?” Spellfire called from behind him. “That can’t be good for your health, Ser Dusk. Are you in such a condition to be teaching us anything?”

Dusk chuckled softly and made his way up the steps toward Spellfire, hearing Ironsides close behind him. “Fear not. The dreamscape is an alternative to sleep, given that I am so well adapted to that world already, though I may want to sleep in a true bed after our meeting at the hall.”

Later, when all of the guards were in attendance at the dining hall, the dark stallion sat alone with a mug of hot chocolate, watching the others converse with one another. The chamber was truly expansive, and dimly lit for the late hour that it was. Large rectangular tables took up most of the area, still with enough room to manoeuver around without issue. On the right end of the hall there rested the counter, where the guards had ordered their food and drink, and where Dusk took his mug. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling amongst the tables, providing just enough light for the calm atmosphere of the night outside. _The rest of my guard should be waking soon, to protect the night and those who sleep soundly._

“So,” a voice called from in front of him. Dusk turned his head to see Ironsides, Spellfire, False Step, Slipstream and Twin Lightning approaching his table. “Sitting all alone, even with everypony here. We thought you’d be at least conversing with a few of us by now.”

They each took a seat around the stallion, each with mugs of their own in their grasp. “Perhaps you should turn in for some well-deserved rest, ser,” put in False Step. “You’re no good to us when you can’t function in this world.”

“Not a chance,” replied Ironsides with a grin. “At least, not until I hear what you reassured me to be a topic of discussion, should I uphold my end of our deal. I bested Spellfire with those tricks you showed me. Proved that I could learn from what you taught me, so out with it already.”

“Out with what?” Slipstream questioned. She was a yellow earth pony who was far stronger than she seemed. Her mane was indigo and straight, and it dangled down only slightly below her helm, unlike Spellfire’s mane. She made a point about not fighting with bladed weapons on the sparring grounds, despite having no magic or wings. The mare was passionate about defending those that required aid, but also refused to bring severe harm to those creatures that threatened those citizens.

He had to respect her for that, though given the developing situation that Princess Luna had spoken about, Dusk was not certain if she could hold true to that mantra for much longer. Perhaps it would not be needed. _Though the look in my princess’ eyes,_ he thought. “I suppose that there is no harm in explaining how I came to be here.” Dusk removed his helm and rested it in front of him, staring at each of the guards in turn.

“Your first stated question: how did I learn these abilities? And the second: how am I the best the princess has seen? Before I answer them, I will ask you…what is my name?”

The five day guards turned to one another, before returning to gaze confusedly at the stallion. “Ser Dusk,” Spellfire spoke up. “We’ve been calling you that all day.”

“Dusk…” he repeated, turning the helm from facing him to face out toward the others. “Dusk…Darkhelm. That is what they chose to call me, for I have no name.” Ironsides leaned back wide-eyed, as did False Step and Slipstream. Spellfire and Twin Lightning stared at him in a mixture of confusion and worry. “Twenty-seven years ago, I was found alone in a forest, just before the Everfree. Nopony knows why I was left there, or who it was that did so. The forest lay in such a place that was far from any kind of civilization.

“There was nopony to question within miles of the area. It was nighttime, though I am not exactly certain of the time. I was only a couple of years old back then. The night guard found me; two stallions that had no reason to be out so far from Canterlot. This was all that they could find with me.” He tapped the helm a few times. “Dusk…the time at which I was found, perhaps; and Darkhelm…imaginative name, though I grew into it. Even back then, I felt that a presence was watching over me, though I had no idea who it was at the time.”

Ironsides seemed to clue in after a brief moment. “Princess Luna.” The others turned to stare at the white stallion in surprise, before looking back at Dusk for confirmation. He continued.

“This was back before she was released, twenty-one years before she returned as Nightmare Moon. Once they brought me to Canterlot, they had a bed ready, as though they knew I would be there. It was soon after that I learned about Princess Luna; how they had been contacted by her, to take me in. And so I had my answer. I had heard _her_ voice that night. Though she was imprisoned for her transformation, her true self had the decency and ability to save the life of a nameless foal.

“Even back then I could still hear her calls in my ears, distant as they were. And so I dedicated my life to learning her abilities and listening to her teachings, protecting her citizens in her stead. I became a lunar guard to honour what she did for me twenty-seven years ago, even though she was in a far worse position than I was. What she requires of me; what she asks me to do, I do so without question…because I owe her my life, my trust, my honesty. If it is required that I lay down my life for her, I would not hesitate. And that is why I do what I do.”

The five around him at the table were silent, though Dusk could still hear and see those behind them, chatting and conversing. He took the helm in his hooves and set it back atop his head, waiting patiently for the others to say something.

“I…I don’t even know what to say,” Slipstream whispered, shaking her head. “That’s amazing.”

“Well, I certainly don’t question why you’re so loyal anymore,” Ironsides said, finally taking a sip from his mug. “No wonder she has you teaching us about _her_ abilities.”

Dusk opened his mouth to respond, but closed it quickly as his eyes widened and then narrowed. He pushed himself up from his seat and stepped away from the table. “My apologies. I must go.”

“Wait! Where are you going?” False Step asked, as the others either looked on or stood up from their seats in confusion and concern.

“Princess Luna has some lead on what we are training to defend against. I will explain the situation to you once I know more, but for now I must go.” The dark unicorn stepped silently around them and started out of the dining hall.

When he reached her quarters, he saw that the sun had set long ago, seeing the gift given by Princess Luna through the glass windows. Stars dotted the late night sky, shimmering harmlessly in the space above the land. Two lunar guards stood watch near the door to the room. They nodded to him and walked away to other duties, leaving Dusk alone to hear of this new development. He went to knock on the door, but a dark blue aura covered it and pulled it open. The Princess of the Night stood before him, appearing as stern and collected as she always seemed to be.

“Come. There is no time for formalities, time is of the essence.” She turned and sauntered over to her podium, as Dusk followed closely behind. He saw a letter resting on the stand and guessed that that was the letter Princess Celestia had sent. “I hath received word from my sister. It appears that while in the Crystal Empire, she hath discovered something of value in the catacombs of their library.” Princess Luna turned to face the lunar guard, as she stood just right of the podium.

“You spoke of learning the identity of the threat we now face,” Dusk replied, standing tall and prepared before his princess.

She merely nodded her head. “Not precisely, yet she hath discovered documents millennia old of sightings the crystal ponies of eld hath witnessed and written about. The north is a cold and desolate landscape, and that is where they reside; however, it appears that there may be another species living in those frozen mountains.

“Only glimpses. Passing glances of a creature. These first hoof accounts express little detail in terms of the shape and size of said animal, but what these ponies say they felt once they come across it is in line with how my sister felt three hundred years ago near the Ibexian Tundra…and what I felt when I was in the dreamscape recently; remorseless, hateful, unyielding and unceasing, a chill that runs from out in the air to the very core of thine being.”

Dusk approached the letter, seeing that the Sun Princess had also sent several ledgers and journals of which he guessed contained what information he was hearing presently. He turned his head to face the princess. “So, your grace…you are saying this threat we are facing is undoubtedly real.”

“I am saying…that we are not dealing with any normal villain. Whatever these ponies saw, thousands of years prior, is yet alive. We are dealing with a threat that is ancient and resourceful, one that has escaped the knowledge of my sister and I both until only recently. I knew it the moment I felt it that it was something I have never sensed before, something terrible…and it appears that it now has amassed enough power to reveal itself to us.”


	23. Rarity

Rarity

“He’s been gone for a while,” the alabaster unicorn whispered to herself, as she lay on the dirt floor of the cavern.

Light streamed in from outside, brightening up the usually dank crevice that she had found for her and Spike. It was still clear that snow blanketed the ground from without, and although she knew that the violet dragon could defend himself, it still worried her what was out there after what had occurred to bring them to this situation.

Rarity sighed and brushed a small rock away with a dirt smeared hoof. “Spike is fine, dear.” The unicorn breathed in and blew a few locks of stray hair out of her eyes, laying her chin against her crossed hooves.

She had finally been able to rest for a time, or at least she felt like she had. It was difficult, nearly impossible to determine how much time had passed since the proper lady was immobilized inside of the cave. It now came down to Spike to tell her what time of day it was, though she could tell it was day time from the sunlight. At least Rarity felt like she was well-rested. It was better than the exhausted state she had been in before the dragon begged her to sleep.

Rarity shuffled her hind legs along on the ground, feeling the numbness in them growing painful. She clenched her jaw and shut her eyes, holding in a gasp as her body twisted, her dislocated vertebra sending hot pains throughout her spine. When the tense feeling dissipated, Rarity let out a whimper. It was suddenly all too clear how this would occur every time she made the slightest movement.

She let her head drop to the floor slowly, trying her best not to go through that again. _How am I meant to help Spike find his family now?_ she thought grimly. _I’ve only made him worry about my safety, and now it is likely that we will starve out here._ Rarity shut her sapphire eyes loosely, tears flowing down her cheeks. “I’m such a fool…thinking that I could protect him out here.”

Visions of all of those times the dragon had tried to help her flashed before her; the most prominent being when she was taken by the diamond dogs. _Had I not already handled the situation; had those dogs been more determined to keep me, I am certain that he would have risked everything for my safety…and I never even thanked him. How could I possibly do the same for Spike?_

She wiped the tears from her eyes and face, seeing how much dirt and grime had collected on her since they arrived. “This isn’t even half of what my little Spikey-Wikey must have gone through for me; making him carry my things, be my pincushion for an afternoon, all for a few trinkets or hollow praise. And when he turned into that giant dragon.”

Rarity’s eyes blinked open, raising her head up with her hooves while remembering her injury. _I…I haven’t dreamed about Spike attacking me for some time._

_“Maybe you actually fear that he won’t forgive you for your past treatment of him.”_

“My…my past treatment,” she echoed, staring down at her chest. The alabaster unicorn placed a hoof on the fire-ruby necklace, mulling over that thought for a moment. _Is…is that really why? I thought that it still might have been because of him being a dragon. But now that I am here I couldn’t ever feel afraid of Spike._ Rarity lifted her head and gazed around at the cave.

The bag before her still had several meals in it that would carry them through the next few days, but the violet dragon had still brought up the concern of running low on food and water. When the proper lady had awoken, Spike was already preparing to leave to see if he could find anything.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he had said when she asked what he was doing. “If we don’t figure out how to continue,” he paused and exhaled, “we may be here for a while.”

She hadn’t missed the melancholic tone to his voice as Spike said that. It either meant that he was filled with grief over bringing Rarity with him, or that he was upset with her for slowing him down. It was obvious that he was grieving for her, but a part of the fashionista wished that he would be angry with her instead.

_I deserve it, after all._ Rarity sniffed in sorrow. There hadn’t ever seemed to be a time when Spike was even the least bit upset with her, which only served to add to her regrets over using him.

She turned her head to stare at the open entrance, once again awaiting his return. The only thing she could really tell from her position on the dirt and rocks was that the storm from earlier had ceased. _At least the weather has let up._ Rarity poured her magic into her horn and lifted the saddlebag over to her, rifling through the food and the water and other supplies. “Oh, that’s right,” the pony said with a huff as she brought a scarf out with a flick of her magic. “I didn’t bring a mirror on this trip.”

After wrapping the scarf around her neck, she closed the flap with a hoof and shoved it away to lay her head down once again. _I must already look terrible, and there’s no way I would be able to fix it out here._ “I didn’t bring anything that I usually would, besides these scarves and blankets. I suppose it will have to do, though I had not anticipated how long we would be in such a cold place.”

“Rarity, I’m back,” a familiar voice said from the entrance.

Rarity’s ears perked up as she heard his gentle landing outside of the cave. He strolled in, his saddlebags settled on his back. She smiled at his approaching form, thankful that he did not seem to have sustained any injury. “Welcome back, Spike. I hope you did not run into any trouble while out there.”

The violet dragon shook his head easily and sat down in front of her. “No, nothing like that. In fact, I found some more food for us, in case we run out.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful darling,” she said gladly. “I didn’t think anything would be able to grow in such harsh conditions.”

“Me neither, actually. It was a lucky find, honestly. These berries I found are delicious. Bearberries, I think. I have an entire bush of them in here, along with some leaves from shrubs, some Labrador tea and other flowers. I even managed to dig up some gemstones while I was out, though I had to melt the ice and snow with my fire breath and heat the soil first.”

Rarity placed a hoof against her chest, gazing into the saddlebags full of all sorts of plants. “My, you have been busy. And here I was, concerned that some great beast had tracked you down.”

“Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. I just wanted to make sure we had enough food.”

“It’s quite alright, Spike,” she responded with a cheerful tone. “You are here and uninjured, so there is no need to apologize.” Rarity once again opened the bags, locking onto the shrub branches as an idea reached her. “Spike,” the proper lady started, not taking her eyes from the plant. “Were there trees where you were?”

She turned her sapphire eyes on him, as he tried to recall. “Uh, yes, there were a few small trees. Why?”

“I have an idea, but I need you to go back where you found those trees and bring enough branches to make a stretcher that will fit me.”

He stared at her as if she were crazy. “But you’re not in any condition for that.”

She took a deep breath and laid a hoof on his claw. “Spike, we cannot stay here. If we are not found by whatever it was that attacked us, we will eventually starve. It may slow us down, but at least we will be moving. I should have enough fabric from the scarves and blankets I brought to secure the branches together and create as soft a ride as possible.”

“I’m not going to talk you out of this, am I?” he asked, after a moment of silence.

Rarity chuckled at the defeated look he was giving her. “No, dear, I’m afraid not. This is an important step for you. Finally, you can try and find out about your own species on your own, without relying on what little information ponies have about dragons in books. I will not allow myself to be what prevents you from seeing them.”

He stared back at her for what seemed like an eternity, Rarity seeing the pride and admiration he had for her in his emerald eyes. Spike exhaled and dropped his gaze to the dirt floor in front of her. “Thank you, Rarity. I’m sorry that this happened to you.”

“You did nothing wrong here, Spike,” she replied, lifting his head back up with a bit of magic. She grimaced as she shifted her broken back uncomfortably. “Whether or not you gave me no choice but to accompany you, I would have done so. This is not unlike the dragon migration years ago. It was my own carelessness back then that created this problem.”

After a brief moment of silence, the violet dragon nodded his head. “Okay, I’ll be back as soon as possible.” He extended his wings and spun around, running out of the entrance to begin his search.

_I’m certain that you will, my dear._ She sighed happily, despite her predicament. Rarity, with nothing else to do, started to prepare the fabric for being what would hold the makeshift stretcher together.

Spike sauntered back into the cave about ten minutes later, carrying with him a dozen or so branches of the native tundra trees on his back and wings. He set them down in front of her, and took a seat down beside the alabaster unicorn.

“Excellent,” Rarity shouted with glee. “This should definitely be enough to prepare what I had in mind. I have already finished tearing the scarves and blankets for the task; it all comes down to tying it all together. Oh, and I created a sort of belt or saddle for you to wear to drag this all along behind you. It will be much easier than carrying the stretcher and I on your back this way.” She held a piece of a white scarf up in her magic that she tore at both sides to create two long, thick strands of fabric to join Spike to the front of the stretcher.

She secured the scarf around his middle with her sapphire aura, being careful not to tear the tying strands. For a while the two remained silent within the cavern. Rarity occasionally asked Spike to hold one end of the assembled group of branches so that she could tie those strands she had created together. It was nearly finished when Rarity noticed that he was fidgeting the way he did when he wanted to speak about something private.

“Spike, what is it? Is something the matter?”

The dragon dropped down to lie beside her, brushing some dirt and rock around with his hand. “Nothing, I’m fine.”

She frowned at him. _That is quite possibly the very worst lie you have ever told me._ “I know that look, Spike.” She reached over and laid a hoof across his arm. “What is going on?”

“It’s just that…” He sighed, and turned his head toward her, “before I regained consciousness from whatever did this,” he placed his free claw on the patch of ice and snow on his chest, “I had this dream. It felt so…real. So familiar, but I can’t remember ever experiencing something like it.”

“Well, what was it about?” she asked, having finished her task of creating her stretcher. Rarity repositioned herself as best as she could to give her attention to Spike without causing any unwanted pain. “Perhaps talking about it will jog your memory.”

He shook his head and looked at the floor. “It…it’s pretty hazy now, but I’ve been thinking about parts of it while I was out collecting food. I couldn’t…see anything. It was pitch black all around me…and it was like I was in a cage. I could hear things though; sounds of fighting. I was trying to get out of this barrier that I couldn’t see, so that I would be able to help whoever was in trouble, but I couldn’t. And then everything went quiet, except for some really strained breathing. After that stopped too, I woke up in a panic. It’s been bothering me ever since.”

She stared at him worriedly, imagining that he would have wanted to do all he could to protect that creature. She tightened her hoof over his wrist. “Hmm. Has this dream ever happened before?”

“That’s what is so weird,” he answered, turning his eyes on her again. “I haven’t been having dreams for weeks, at least not that I could recall, and now I have this nightmare.”

_I haven’t had anything_ but _those sorts of dreams since you returned,_ Rarity pondered, still feeling guilty about having such dreams about Spike. She smiled at him and tapped her hoof against his scaled arm. “I’ll be here to help in whatever way I can, darling. If you experience a dream like that again, do not hesitate to ask me about it.”

Spike returned the happy visage, flicking his tail back and forth along the ground. “Thanks, Rarity.”

“Anytime, dear.” She sighed and glanced back over at the assemblage of tree branches and fabric, hoping that this would make things easier on both of them. “Now, I suppose it is time that we continue on our way. I have completed my stretcher design, I just need to clamber onto it and tie you in to drag it along.” Rarity wrapped herself up in her aura so that she would not be in so much pain while she crawled on. The strain it created was still excruciating, though she managed better than before.

“Do you need some help?” the ambassador asked, standing just near enough to lend his aid if necessary.

“I think that would be lovely, darling,” the fashionista said in a cheerful tone. She ceased in her pulling and took a few breaths to ease the stress on her limbs. “Could you hold the stretcher still, while I bring myself onto it? I’ve laid the blankets over top of the wood so it wouldn’t be so uncomfortable, but it might hurt my back if it moves around under me.”

Spike nodded his head and made his way over to the opposite end of the logs. “Sure thing, Rarity. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

With her magic still surrounding her body, Rarity pulled herself up onto the blanket. She groaned as she felt the vertebra shift and her muscles contract. The struggle ended once the elegant mare reached the dragon, lowering herself down onto the bed of branches and blankets carefully. Exhaling with relief at the anguish retreating, Rarity lifted her head up and secured the strands of fabric from Spike’s harness to the stretcher.

Her head was cloudy once she finished, so she laid her head back down onto the blanket to rest, wincing when a muscle in her back spasmed. She saw the dragon turn his head toward her. “Are you alright, Rarity?”

“Yes, dear,” she assured him, feeling out of breath from the nerves in her back being stretched. “To be honest, this is becoming more and more bearable each time I have to move.” It was a partial truth, though the effort was still incredibly painful. The worried stare that Spike gave her in return was not so comforting to her. “I am fine, Spike. I will recover in time, so don’t be so concerned with me.”

“But I should be finding a way to get you home,” he exclaimed, turning about to face the alabaster unicorn. “Even if we do find dragons, they probably know as little about pony anatomy and medicine as ponies do about dragons. I just…can’t leave you alone here and fly back myself. This is all my fault.”

“No, Spike, it’s not,” Rarity answered sternly, giving the ambassador a confident glare. “I made this choice myself, knowing the risks.” She paused and exhaled gently. “I can’t say I thought that my back strain would come back in such a way, but I was prepared to experience some setbacks. I know that you are worried about me and I really do appreciate it, but you can’t afford to have any doubts right now. There is no way that we will be able to fly out with me the way I am, so our only hope of rescue is to keep moving forward.”

In response, Spike stared back a moment, before shaking his head and looking off into the cave. “Even now, Rarity, you still manage to surprise me. You’re the one who is injured and you’re still as prim and proper as before. How do you do it?”

She smiled. “I have friends like you to look out for,” the unicorn replied simply. Spike’s cheeks grew rosy, breaking eye contact with her out of embarrassment. Her own face seemed to match his in emotion, realizing that she really did mean that. Rarity had always meant to come to his aid if the need arose, which brought to mind their last encounter with those teenage dragons, but now that she knew how she felt about him, it was all the more clear how far the proper lady would go to keep him safe. “As long as you are here, and you need some help, I will give all I can.”

The violet dragon lifted his head back up, his face awash with pride and cheer. He chuckled lightly and bowed his head to her. “I’ll just have to return the favour then. I promise; I’ll find someone who can fix what happened to you.”

“Thank you, Spike.” Rarity levitated the saddlebags beside her onto the stretcher, before taking a deep breath and exhaling. “Alright. I’m ready, my dear.”

Spike nodded at her and began to walk toward the cave entrance. The seamstress wrapped herself up in the blankets she brought and settled in as they continued on their way. It was surprising to Rarity how effective the stretcher was for her; it was quite a smooth ride, once they were out of the cavern, though it was obvious that the violet dragon was avoiding steep hills and sharp rocks for her benefit.

She breathed in calmly, resting her head and body against the blanket as she watched the world slowly sliding by. The proper lady watched Spike’s wings stretch out at his sides occasionally, and his tail swung back and forth while he strolled along. Rarity turned her gaze to the snow being packed down by his feet and her stretcher as she returned to thinking about the end of the dragon migration.

_Had Spike not run away from those dragons back then,_ she began hesitantly, _what would I have done?_ A breeze carried across the tundra, blowing her already tangled and messy mane and tail about.

_“Fighting’s not really my thing, I’m more into fashion, but I will rip you to pieces if you touch one scale on his cute little head!”_

Her lips curled upward after a moment of thought, remembering the threat that she had made in his defence. _What a silly mare I was back then. Though I suppose I would have done whatever I could to protect my little Spikey-Wikey._ Her eyes returned to stare at Spike, reminiscing about the surprisingly mature little dragon. _I wonder if I actually did have some feelings for him back then. I didn’t really think much of it until he gave me this fire-ruby, but now... Would I have said and done those same things if that day hadn’t changed how I thought of him?_

“Oh, and Rarity,” Spike called from in front of her.

“Hm?” the mare said in a bit of a daze.

“Let me know if you’re cold. We can look for some shelter if those blankets aren’t enough.”

_Oh, I think resting up against you would be more than enough,_ Rarity thought with reddening cheeks. She cleared her throat to rid herself of such imaginings. “Thank you, darling. I’ll be certain to let you know if anything goes wrong.” _Always so sweet to me. In so many ways you have grown up, and yet in others you haven’t changed a bit. Don’t ever change how much you care, Spike._

The two quickly grew silent. There was little else in the area around them except for the wind to make any noise. Snow blanketed every surface that they passed; hills, cliffs, rocks, what few trees and plant life that was hardy enough to live here. A few rabbits bounced across the tundra, and Rarity thought she saw a few ibexes as well, though they never ventured close enough for her to tell.

A few passing conversations started up as either Rarity or Spike spotted something unusual; a strange bird that was not native to Equestria, an odd rock or cave formation that the alabaster unicorn pondered what kind of gems would be contained within, but for the better part of their day the two stayed in a peaceful and calm, but wary mood. The blankets did surprisingly well for out here, though she had made them specifically for winter weather, but Spike took occasional refuge amongst a crag or crevice to make certain that Rarity was staying warm.

She, for her own part, had no qualms with stopping to rest, being able to snuggle up to the ambassador for coziness and additional heat, and of course Spike had to lie down some time. Both of them ate one of the meals that they had prepared and they spoke about what they would find when they reached the dragons in the area.

Spike was interested most prominently in learning about his culture and history, which Rarity couldn’t deny fascinated her almost as deeply. She was however more involved in determining how dragons age; how quickly they mature. According to watching him grow up, it only took four years for him to become the size of a full grown pony, and like he mentioned while they were flying over the open ocean, she was curious to know how much more he would grow.

_That will not change how I feel about him,_ she insisted, while eating a few bearberries that Spike had collected. Rarity sighed uneasily when another point occurred to her. _Though yes, it would make it difficult for him to remain in town if he were the size of those other dragons._ She huffed to herself in defiance to her own thoughts. _I said I would stay with him no matter what and I meant it._

Her gaze shifted over to her left as she saw the dragon packing up his saddlebag. He slung it over his back and pushed himself to his feet. “Alright, I’m all set to continue. Are you okay, Rarity?”

She nodded kindly in return, closing the flap of her own bag with her magic. “I’m quite alright, Spike. I’m ready when you are.” He beamed at her in response and walked over to place the makeshift harness back on. Their long trek resumed, and Rarity held renewed confidence in their quest. _I’m certain that when we find these dragons, they will be able to help us figure something out._

Despite there being so many new and different things from what Rarity knew of Equestria’s landscape, gazing at the same general formations grew to be a weary experience some hours into the journey. She often found herself nodding off when nothing was said between them, though she felt her dreary mood was attributed highly to not being allowed to move on her own. Rarity still held on with pride to the fact that she was experiencing a portion of what Spike participated in on a regular basis.

It brought back surprising joy to her when she pondered about being able to do this with the ambassador all of the time. _However, hopefully I won’t need to be dangerously injured to experience such flights of fancy. If I tell him how I feel about him…then I’m certain my life would be full of such exciting experiences. It would never be a dull moment being the first unicorn mate to a dragon._ Her face was flushed with emotion as she watched Spike’s tail sway.

She hadn’t missed that he held a certain admiration for the mare, even now, and he cared deeply for her and her safety, yet Rarity didn’t wish to burden him with such feelings at the moment; not until she knew confidently that he still loved her the way he once did. Her content visage faded into a frown as those thoughts returned her to the way she treated him. _Those dreams may have ended…but I do not know if I deserve his forgiveness or his affections yet._

After several long hours of nothing but wandering through the snow covered lands, Spike pulled Rarity’s stretcher up to a cluster of vertically turned rock faces. They were positioned at odds with one another, creating a bit of a wall all around them. The sun was sinking low over to the west, and clouds were dominating the normally deep blue sky above. “These rocks should be enough shelter for the night,” the violet dragon assured, unstrapping himself from the fabric of Rarity’s many scarves.

The fashionista saw no other areas with such protection from the elements, so it was agreed. Rarity insisted on sharing the blankets with him, and when she had exhausted his list of excuses why that was unnecessary, Spike relented. She lay on her side, up against him, while thoughts of what the settlement of dragons would look like were tossed around in her head.

It fascinated her to learn how different their two worlds were and if they had any similarities. She hadn’t forgotten that she was among the only three ponies to have ever seen inside a colony; and now Rarity was most likely going to be the first pony to have a conversation with a dragon from one of their settlements. It was frightening for her also, remembering her first experience with one of the elder dragons that took up residence in a mountain near Ponyville.

“Rarity,” Spike said, breaking her from her reverie. She looked to her left, locking gazes with the diplomat. “I just thought I’d let you know that…I’ll protect you if these dragons turn out to be like those other ones.”

She beamed at him, setting a hoof on his violet hand. “Where did this come from?”

“Well,” he hesitated, staring down at her hoof. “I was just thinking that when we get there, you’re probably not going to be very welcome, being a pony. And those teenage dragons four years ago certainly proved that they don’t like ponies much. If anything like that happens here, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Her face lit up, her sapphire eyes sparkling in the dim light of the evening sun. “I’m certain you will, Spikey-Wikey. Now get some sleep, darling. I’ll stay awake for a few hours, and then I’ll wake you.”

If any argument was in his eyes, she spotted no sign of it on Spike’s lips. She gazed at him as prim and proper as ever, despite her obviously unkempt appearance, making short work of his protests. His emerald eyes relaxed, and his infectious joyful grin returned. “Alright, alright. I never could say no to you. Goodnight, Rarity.” Spike brought his chin to rest against the blanket on her stretcher.

Rarity knew that both of them were tired; she hadn’t missed the effort Spike used in keeping his eyes open. His tiredness was apparent in the dark lines under them, as she imagined her fatigue showed in a similar fashion; however, it was her turn to once again keep watch.

_With me like this though, we wouldn’t have much chance to escape._ She swallowed and gazed over at the horizon, while the last rays of sunlight dropped from sight.

Darkness replaced the last flicker, colouring the landscape in a far altered and unsettling mood. _If what Spike was attacked by finds us…I just hope that we are enough together to fight it off._ The proper lady took a deep, calming breath and exhaled through her nose. “I may not be able to move, but I have been practicing my magic,” she whispered to the gloom around her. “I am far from defenceless.”

In the early hours of the next morning, the alabaster unicorn was still keeping a steady watch over the tundra. A faint breeze was still present here, winding through the pillars of rock that provided a break in its speed. There were a few hares that bounded in the snow around her, Rarity almost missing their pure white coats, if not for their hopping through the soft white powder.

Foxes scampered through as well, trotting close enough for Rarity to see their eyes as hers had adjusted, but not near enough to warrant a warning shot of magical energy from her horn. Most likely they were after the hares that had passed through moments earlier, at least that was her reasoning. Caribou roamed around too, though they appeared to be returning to their homes for the night.

Rarity looked down at the resting form of Spike, brushing a stray lock of violet hair from her eyes. “Spike, wake up, dear,” she said quietly, shaking the slumbering dragon with a foreleg.

In reply, he took in a deep breath and shook himself awake. His eyes blinked open, and he turned his gaze on her. “Oh. Is it time for me to get up, Rarity?” He still sounded groggy.

“I’m afraid so,” Rarity answered, while laughing. “I can barely keep my eyes from falling of their own accord. I haven’t seen anything of any perilous nature come through here yet, so hopefully whatever was after us before is still searching.”

He stretched out his back from beneath the covers, moaning pleasantly as he regained his senses. “Good. I don’t know if I’d be able to fight something like-” He stopped, stiffening up as he lay next to her.

“Spike? Is something wrong?” Rarity asked anxiously.

The ambassador exhaled. He relaxed against her slightly, but Rarity could tell he was still uncomfortable. “I just remembered something. I hadn’t thought of it before because whatever left this ice on my chest caused me to lose consciousness instantly. I couldn’t process the sounds around me, but that dream I had…that fight I told you about had sounds so similar to the one I heard just before passing out.”

Rarity gritted her teeth. _I know what you’re getting at…but that just makes things even more concerning._ “So whatever attacked us back then…do you think you may have seen that thing before?”

Spike shook his head, appearing lost. “I don’t know. It might have been a nightmare brought on by the stress of what happened to me. I know that’s more than possible given the circumstances, but something is telling me that it might have some kind of truth to it.”

“Like a warning?” the mare offered.

“I think it’s more than that, though we should definitely take it as a warning as well. I feel like it’s happened at some point, but to my knowledge, I have never experienced anything like that. I’ve certainly never been in a fight like the one I heard.” He exhaled in defeat and glanced in Rarity’s direction. He smirked at her. “Though I suppose we should save that for when you have rested. Get some sleep, Rarity.”

The alabaster pony nodded. “Thank you, Spike. We’ll make it through this together, dear. I promise.” She covered her mouth as a yawn escaped her, her body finally giving in to the drowsiness and the tender throws of being able to dream. The proper lady took one last glance at Spike and the surrounding area, before succumbing to her tired body’s pleas. “Goodnight, Spike.” She laid her head down against the blanket and shut her eyes, feeling warm against the fabric and the dragon’s smooth scales.

It took her little time to fall asleep.

There were birds chirping. Light shone down through the trees as Rarity hummed a little tune. A picnic lay in front of her. Mountains could be seen in the distance and clouds permeated the sky above the elegant mare.

Grass rustled behind her. Rarity glanced over her shoulder.

“I hope I’m not too late,” Spike said, sitting before her on the picnic blanket.

She waved a hoof at him to ease his mind. “Oh, no, not at all. I’m just a little early is all. I completed the dress I was working on last night and so I had nothing to finish up this morning. I thought being out here would be better than being cooped up inside until our scheduled picnic.”

“That makes sense,” he said. “I just finished talking to Pinkie Pie about her going to see Twilight. She had some big plan or other for the day, but she wouldn’t say much about it.”

“Well, that certainly sounds like her,” Rarity said with a laugh. “I hope you have brought your appetite. As I said, I had nothing else to do today, so I prepared some extra meals; if you are able to stay for an extended period as well, that is.”

Spike shrugged his shoulders, as cheerful as ever. “Sure, I’m not going anywhere. You chose a great day for a picnic. It’s lovely out here right now.”

She turned her head to gaze up at the sky and relish in the warmth of the summer day. “Yes, it is a splendid day to be out.” Pegasi and birds flew about in the distance. The leaves of the trees rustled in the breeze.

“So, Rarity, how have you been?”

“Oh, terrific darling. I’ve been looking forward to this for a while.” The elegant mare lifted the top of the basket up with her magic. She brought out a sandwich for each of them. “I hope you have been as excited about this as I.”

Spike chuckled, the alabaster unicorn giving him a sly smirk. “Of course. Spending the day out here with the most beautiful mare in the world; how could I not be excited?”

“Oh, you flatterer. You’ll make me blush, dear.”

Rarity smiled demurely and sighed at the pleasant feeling of the wind brushing her fur. Her sapphire eyes opened to the light of day, still with a cooling sensation on her back. She stretched out from under the blankets and pushed herself up on her hooves. _Well rested at last._

“Rarity?!”

“Hm?” She turned her head to stare at Spike. “What is-?” Her eyes widened. “My…my back.” The seamstress spun around to face him, as stunned and confused as the violet dragon appeared. “I’m standing, but…but how?” Stretching out her back again, Rarity slipped out from under the blanket and swung her tail around. “Spike, I don’t feel any pain. None at all, not even the pain I felt before my back was broken. How?”

“I don’t know,” the ambassador answered. “I was just…worried that you would never be able to walk again. You were shivering under the covers, so I put more of the blankets over you. I had my claw on your back for a moment…and then it started to glow blue.”

Rarity glanced off to the side, feeling her cheeks heating up. “Well, thank you for your concern, Spike. And…I suppose for healing my back as well.” She turned back to face him with a grateful visage. “You must have more magic in you than just your fire breath.”

Spike scratched at his neck nervously, his own cheeks rosy. “I guess so.” He stood on his legs and lifted an arm up to glance at. “Still, I don’t know how I managed to do it.”

“Well, however you did it; I am eternally grateful, darling. It certainly makes travel easier. Still, it’s such a shame to leave such splendid fabric here just because I tore some of it.” The violet-maned pony turned her gaze to the makeshift stretcher, levitating the blankets and scarf remnants back into her saddlebag. “I daresay I could recreate something out of all of this; when we return home, of course.”

Spike chuckled at her as he flicked his tail back and forth. “You never cease to amaze me, Rarity.”

Rarity smiled and turned her chin up slightly. “Well, dear, we may be in unknown territory, but that doesn’t mean I can’t think about making new ensembles. We must stay optimistic, after all.” _And now that I can stand on my own again I won’t be such a burden on you anymore._ “Now then, I suppose we had best be on our way.”

“I have a better idea,” he responded, lowering himself down and drawing one of his wings away from his side. “We’ll get there faster if I fly us there. Hop on.”

Rarity raised a hoof in concern. “Are you sure? Flying is what made you an easy target in the first place. I wouldn’t want something like that to happen to you again, Spike.”

“I’ll fly low so we aren’t spotted so easily,” he said. “As long as we don’t let our guard down and keep an eye out for anything suspicious below, I’m sure we’ll be okay.”

She bit her lip anxiously. It was true that nothing bad had occurred for quite some time, yet that did not mean that their luck would hold forever. Spike’s cheerful disposition and swishing tail made it difficult to bring up any sort of argument though. Rarity giggled lightly at the show. _He’s a bit like Opalescence when she’s happy._ “Very well. I suppose you are right, my dear. I trust you have everything you need before we take off?”

The dragon ambassador nodded his head and waited for her to climb on. Rarity sighed and levitated her saddlebags onto her back, before carefully clamouring onto Spike’s back. Once she was seated comfortably, he strolled out of the cluster of rocks that they had used for a shelter. Spike flapped his great wings a few times to pick up and test the wind currents.

With one last powerful flap of his wings, the violet dragon took to the air, with Rarity hooking her fore hooves around his neck. Her mane and tail flew about in the upward draft of wind as she closed her eyes to enjoy the free feeling. He levelled off about fifteen feet from the ground and began flying forward for the dragon settlement.

Despite her elation to be up here with Spike once again, the alabaster unicorn kept a wary eye on the snow and the trees and rocks for any sign of trouble. The next couple of hours went by without much talk, other than Spike’s occasional question about Rarity being settled on his back. She replied without a worry and returned that if he needed some rest, he was welcome to land for a moment.

When noon rolled around, Rarity judging the time from the angle of the sun, the two saw a noticeable change to the ground below. There was no longer any snow covering the land or sloping hills covered in the white powder. No small trees or shrubs could be seen in the area that they were soaring over; only red tinged crags and cracks in the earth, bubbling up with lava.

“Spike, are these the Scorched Lands you spoke of on the train?” the mare shouted, leaning over his left shoulder.

“I think so,” he called back, turning his head slightly in her direction. “I’ll have to fly higher soon. These mountains are everywhere.”

Rarity nodded in response and tightened her grip on his neck. “I’m ready when you are then.” With a few strong pumps of his wings, Spike pushed himself and the elegant mare higher into the air. _How easy it is for him to change altitude or direction,_ she pondered. _I can certainly imagine why dragons migrate. They must do it for the wonderful feeling._ The fashionista rested her head against the back of his neck, enjoying the feeling of his smooth, warm scales against her cheek.

After another hour of flying, Rarity was once again staring down at the lava springs and rocky peaks of the dragon lands. There was a plateau among the mountains, spreading far out into the horizon ahead of her and Spike. A few odd, misshapen trees grew scattered across the earth there and leafless shrubs dominated the landscape directly up to the edges of the cliffs, the gnarled branches of some curling down a few feet off of the plateau.

“Rarity,” Spike said in a quiet tone. She shuffled along on his back, leaning further out on his shoulder to see. “I think we’ve found the colony.”

The proper lady grinned, hearing the excitement in his voice. “I’m so happy for you, Spike. You’ll finally be able to learn about your own kind.” Rarity returned her gaze to the plateau rapidly approaching, but she caught sight of something below them. It seemed to be another dragon. She gasped. “Spike, watch out!”

“Whoa!” A fire ball shot forward at them, though the violet dragon managed to avoid it with a quick stroke of his wings. “What are they doing down there?”

“Perhaps they see us as a threat,” Rarity suggested. She still glared daggers at whoever had fired that shot, trying to injure Spike again after all that had occurred. “I think it would be best if we landed. I believe that was merely a warning.”

Sighing and shaking his head, Spike began to descend from the sky. “Yeah, you’re probably right. It just bothers me that my kind is so suspicious of everyone.”

“I know it’s difficult to accept,” the alabaster unicorn soothed, rubbing at his back with a comforting hoof. “I realize that I can’t tell exactly how you feel, knowing how different you are from other dragons. I was so worried back in the last dragon migration we watched together that you would…turn into one of them during that trip you took, and I would lose my little Spikey-Wikey.” Spike lowered his head in silence as the two of them neared the ground of the plateau. “But imagine my joy and relief when we found you defending a little phoenix egg from three of those brutes at the end of it all. And perhaps there are more dragons like you here.”

The ground met them, and Rarity leaned over to catch the dragon’s expression. He turned his head and the mare saw his lips curl upward. “I hope so. Thank you for coming with me, Rarity. It really means a lot.” Spike crouched down and spread his left wing out so that she could disembark.

“It was my pleasure, my dear,” she said sweetly, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. The fashionista slid off of his back, not missing the embarrassed and utterly adorable expression Spike now wore. He folded his wings against his side and nodded to her nervously, standing. Rarity focused on the swiftly approaching group of dragons, eyeing them cautiously.

She started walking toward them herself, determined to show some initiative and demonstrate that she was not frightened this time. Spike joined her in meeting these hostile dragons, Rarity noticing a clear alteration in his stance and posture, as she most likely showed in her own attitude.

When the dragons met them, it was apparent that they were quite larger than Spike. They stood two or three heads taller than both the unicorn and dragon, and they looked none too happy to see them either. The three were walking on all fours, wings spread out to appear even larger.

“Well, well, well,” the middle dragon growled, holding his head up proudly. “A dragon and a little pony. What are you doing here?” he asked, turning his head toward Spike.

“We’ve come to meet with the dragons here,” Rarity replied, putting on a civil tone. “We do not wish to be a bother.”

He glanced her way, his eyebrows lowering angrily. “I don’t think I was asking you, pony.” The red dragon blew smoke from his nose, looking back over at the ambassador. “What are you even doing here with one? Don’t you know you can’t trust anything ponies say?”

Rarity frowned at the red dragon, finding his prejudice insufferable. “I beg your par-” She stopped as Spike stepped closer to her, staring directly into this dragon’s orange eyes.

“I know who you are,” the violet dragon said, piquing Rarity’s interest. When she gazed back at the leader of this group of bullies, who they were suddenly clicked in her own mind. “I met you and your group four years ago; during the Great Dragon Migration.”

The leader raised an eyebrow in response. “Am I supposed to be impressed that you remembered? Who are you anyway?”

“My name is Spike,” he growled. “And it’s not nice to see you again, Garble.”

The dragon sneered at the two of them, nodding a few times. “Yeah. Yeah, I remember you. You’ve grown up a lot since I last saw you. And I remember this pony too; she threatened to tear us to pieces, right?” His group began chuckling behind him.

Rarity poured her magic into her horn, remembering all of the cruel things she saw them make Spike do and put up with. “With very good reason, _my_ _dear_ …I assure you. If Spike hadn’t retreated, I would have shown you what unicorns are capable of when her friends are threatened.”

Garble huffed indignantly, showing the slightest tinge of a smile as he took a step closer. “You have guts…for a prissy pony. And that gemstone you’ve got around your neck looks like quite the meal. Why don’t we see if you can do as you say?”

Spike roared loudly at the three dragons, baring his teeth and stepping closer to him. He coiled his tail around her hind legs protectively and took a menacing stance. Garble halted in his approach, attention on Spike. “If you touch her, I will make you all regret it.” He snarled threateningly. The proper lady felt her face heat up from his actions, his smooth tail cradling her gently as she stared unblinking at him. She took another step toward him, near enough to brush her coat against his violet scales.

Rarity watched the three back off a step, obviously not expecting the once small dragon to be so aggressive toward them. She herself was a little surprised to see him act that way, though one look into the diplomat’s eyes told her that he was protecting more than just a good friend.

“Whoa, calm down, Spike,” the lead dragon said, folding his wings against his sides. “What is she your-?” Garble paused and glanced across at Rarity. Her aura still lit up her horn in a sapphire light, waiting to be channeled into a spell. She winked at him, knowing exactly what he was trying to ask.

The alabaster unicorn watched with a most satisfying amusement as the older dragons shrunk back, clearly realizing what she herself was realizing about Spike. _I suppose they have seen what dragons with mates can do if threatened._ She smirked. _And they clearly don’t want to see it happen to them._ The red dragon swallowed loudly, appearing no less upset than he was earlier.

“Fine,” he grunted. “We’ll take you to our home. This pony of yours will have to explain her reason for being here to the other dragons.”

“My name is Rarity,” she stated sharply. “I would appreciate being addressed as such.”

Garble exhaled as he eyed the unicorn and spread his wings out. He turned sideways and took to the air with a few quick flaps of his wings. “Follow me.” Rarity looked on as he and the two other dragons took off. When they were off at a certain distance, she turned to Spike. She still felt his tail around her legs, Spike locked in a defensive stance over her.

Her heart began to beat faster when Rarity saw how serious he was. She reached a hoof out and pressed it against his shoulder. “Spike?” His body shook slightly, the violet dragon glancing back at her. She smiled demurely at him. “I believe I am safe now, dear.”

Realization seemed to hit the ambassador immediately. Spike’s emerald eyes widened and he took his tail away from her legs. The dragon stepped away from her, obviously embarrassed by his behaviour. He cleared his throat. “Sorry.”

Rarity shook her head lightly in response to his nervousness. “Don’t be.” She sauntered closer to Spike, resting a hoof against his chest. “It was really touching.”

The two stared at one another for a moment, before the dragon coughed into his shoulder. “I guess we had better follow those three,” he reasoned, crouching down for Rarity to climb on. “If we lose sight of them we might have a difficult time locating their home.”

She nodded at him and made her way over to his back, though she was still deeply amused by his actions. _I can’t believe that you still feel that way about me, Spike. You’re feelings have matured along with you, but after everything I’ve put you through I don’t understand._ When she realized she hadn’t moved for quite some time, she saw Spike gazing at her in confusion. The seamstress placed a hoof on his back and pulled herself up, laying herself down over his flexible spines. _I’m the luckiest mare in the world._

Once Rarity wrapped her forelegs around the ambassador’s neck, he took off rapidly, flying in the direction of the three bullies. It took little time for the settlement to come into view. It was set within a deep crater on the plateau, creating a valley with hundreds of dragons resting at the precipice and down below. To Rarity it even appeared that they had tents and houses set up.

Those three older dragons were waiting for them above the crater, looking none too pleased to have to escort a dragon with a pony on his back to their leader. With a mere hand gesture, Garble and the others began descending into the valley. Spike matched their pace, both he and Rarity keeping a close eye on the other inhabitants of the colony.

They landed at the foot of a hill, halfway down into the crater. Rarity walked off of the violet dragon’s back, being careful not to injure him. She drew her gaze up to the top of the tall knoll, seeing an expansive grey grand hall-like structure resting atop it. There were several intricate and ornate spires on its cobblestone roof, curled and sharp spikes most likely representing a dragon’s horns or spines. They pointed ever skyward from the large double doors and at each side of the ancient looking building. It was a spectacular sight to see for the mare, despite the company she and Spike were keeping weren’t helping her enjoy the splendour.

Garble and the others pointed toward it, and took to the skies again seconds later. Rarity watched them go before focusing back on the task at hoof.

“Well, Spike, I believe it is time we met this leader. Hopefully, he or she is more amicable than those ruffians.” He didn’t respond. He merely stood there with his tail flicking about; his wings loose at his sides. The proper lady sauntered in front of him. “Spike?” He tilted his head toward her, appearing understandably nervous. Rarity raised a hoof up to Spike’s cheek. _I am here for you, if you need me._

The dragon brightened at her expression, and her unspoken words of encouragement. She knew he had heard them; after all, so much of their relationship went unspoken before everything that had happened here. Rarity stepped back a few steps and strolled up to the hall alongside him.

Spike drew one of the great doors open and gestured for Rarity to enter first. Within those wooden mahogany doors looked to be carved several intricate patterns; some looking like elegant wings spread across the top, while detailed swirls and curved and sharp lines adorned the edge and sides all of the way to the floor. _The doors themselves look marvelous to a fault,_ she mused, tracing the patterns with her sapphire eyes.

She bowed graciously toward the dragon once she had finished taking in the surprising beauty of this place, and made her way within. It was immense, certainly far larger than carousel boutique and large enough to hold a few fully grown dragons easily. The roof inside was lofty, almost imposing in a way. It was thirty or forty feet high at the least, with several tall white pillars arranged across from one another all of the way through, and the two sides of the grand hall met together at the center point of this breathtaking wonder.

Only one dragon was present here at the moment, however, other than Spike. The new dragon eyed Rarity curiously, stepping forward to greet them; or at least to greet Spike.

“A pony…and a dragon,” she spoke lightly. It was a bit of an older tone of voice, but still with a surprising elegance that spoke of a different language. Her accent was clear, but no resemblance to any that Rarity had heard before. “I never thought I’d see such a companionship, and yet here we are. Why have you brought her here to a dragon sanctuary?”

“I didn’t bring her,” he answered, shaking his head and then glancing over at Rarity. “She asked to join me on this quest, and…well…she kind of gave me no choice but to agree. But she’s a dear friend of mine,” he added quickly, making Rarity grin. “I’ve known her for years.”

“Really?” the olive green dragon asked, turning her turquois eyes on the mare. “How a dragon could know a pony is rather peculiar nowadays, though not uninteresting. What is your name, then?” she inquired of Rarity. She had long, slender spines all of the way down her neck, back and to her tail, with only a set of magnificently curled horns and ear frills on her head. Her wings were spread out, encompassing much of the hall in which they stood. It didn’t seem to Rarity to be an aggressive stance though; she felt quite calm in this dragon’s presence.

“My name is Rarity,” she said with a bow across the immaculate mahogany floor, not forgetting her niceties. The unicorn stood and gazed up into her eyes. “It is true; I’ve known Spike for six years. He has lived in Equestria with my friends and I for most of that time.” The elder dragon nodded in silence, seeming transfixed on her now.

It was beginning to dawn on Rarity that her appearance must have been ghastly and appalling, undoubtedly not an appropriate visage to be meeting an elder dragon with. _She is probably the equivalent to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna,_ she pondered in a tizzy, _and my hair and fur is filthy._ “I must apologize for how I look, my lady,” she said, dipping her head again. “It was quite difficult to reach this point in our journey and I had no way to fix my appearance before meeting you.”

“My lady?” the great dragon replied, smiling through her teeth. “You appear to have quite the noble and considerate tongue. I can’t say I’ve known a pony- a unicorn, with such proper manners.” She chuckled and the ground shook beneath Rarity’s hooves. “As for your apologies, it is not necessary. I do not have hair to speak of as it is, so there is no need to feel embarrassed by appearing in any way before me.”

“Yes, but…my coat is dirty and I would not wish to meet my princesses in such a state,” Rarity responded, brushing herself down as best as she could. She gave up after a moment of tidying herself up, sighing with regret. “I did not want to delay Spike from meeting with you, so I overlooked it.”

“Truly, your worries are unfounded. And to compare me to your princesses is quite flattering as well, I suppose. I would not call myself the ruler of all dragons, however, like they claim to care for all ponies. I merely lead this group of dragons at this time.” Another moment of silence passed, Rarity realizing that this dragon was looking intently at her neck. “I beg your pardon if this is too forward of me, but may I ask what that is around your neck?”

She glanced down at the fire-ruby necklace, placing a hoof on it in surprise. _I almost forgot I had it._ Rarity returned her eyes to the dragon, still with her hoof over the special jewel. “It’s a fire-ruby,” she stated. “It was a gift from Spike, actually; he gave it to me on his birthday one year. And I made this necklace for it, to show how much his gift meant to me.” _And so I could always remember his generosity._ She wrapped a hoof around it, casting her gaze over at Spike. His cheeks were red with emotion, staring forward.

“I see,” she answered, gaining Rarity’s attention again. “A lofty gesture. You must mean a great deal to each other.” Rarity blinked in disbelief at that statement, wondering what significance the fire-ruby had to this creature. The olive green dragon bowed her head at the both of them, with a slight curl of her lips. “My apologies. It would seem in my interest to learn of your relationship, I have not yet told you my name. I am Thiuvinal, the matriarch of this group of dragons.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you,” the mare said in a bit of a daze.

Thiuvinal chuckled and rose before them. “A pleasure? I’m beginning to understand why you like this unicorn so much.” The violet dragon scratched at his neck anxiously, not meeting Rarity’s eyes. “Now then, you said you wished to meet with me. I presume you would like to know about dragons?”

“Yes,” Spike answered instantly. He took a step forward. “I was born and raised by ponies all my life, so I have no idea what it’s like to be a dragon. I went on a migration once a few years ago, but I didn’t really learn anything from who I met.”

“And you were raised by ponies?” she asked, settling herself down on the wooden floor of the hall. She crossed her arms. “I never thought a pony would be able to hatch a dragon egg. Would you be the pony who hatched him, Rarity?”

She shook her head and waved a hoof. “Oh, no, I did not know him back then. My dear friend Twilight Sparkle was the pony who had that great honour.” Spike couldn’t help but smile then, lowering his head to stare at the floor of the grand hall. Rarity merely gazed at him, still in slight wonder that Thiuvinal had been interested in her fire-ruby. _Is it customary for dragons to give gifts to one another if they are close as well?_ That was always possible. _I daresay I am just about as curious to learn about dragons now as he is, especially with such a pleasant dragoness to converse with as her._

The olive green dragoness chuckled at the two, raising her head up high. “You both look exhausted. I believe it would be best for the both of you to get some rest here, before we continue with this conversation.” She pushed herself up onto her feet. “You may use this house for now; there are rooms to spare for a dragon and a unicorn of your size. I am most curious to learn more about your time with ponies, Spike, but I think it would be best for both of you to recover first. My room is on the left side, so if you have any concerns, let me know.”

“Thank you for your kindness.” Rarity dipped her head in respect. Thiuvinal left them with a peaceful nod, and then walked off into a massive doorway on the left side of the hall. The proper lady turned to face Spike with a tired visage. “I suppose she has a point, darling. We seem to be a bit worse for wear. Perhaps it is best that we took a few hours to relax.”

He nodded his head in response. “You’re right. I suppose we should find some rooms.” He began walking toward the doorway to the right of the entry way, with Rarity strolling along beside him. They found a couple of rooms side by side far down the way and turned to one another before entering to sleep. He cleared his throat and stretched out his wings. “Well, I suppose we should get some sleep.”

She smiled back at him warmly, yet something was bothering her. She found that she didn’t want him to leave just yet. “Spike, how are you feeling about all of this?” she asked to buy herself some more time.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I can’t believe we’re actually here, and we met such a calm and patient dragoness. After what happened at the migration, I was still worried that when I did this, finding someone who could talk to me about my kind would be incredibly difficult.”

The proper lady stepped closer and settled herself down in front of him, grinning brightly. “I am so happy for you, Spike. You’re finally here and you can learn all about your culture right from its source. I’m only sorry that it took so long to happen.”

“You don’t have to feel sorry for anything, Rarity,” Spike replied, taking a seat himself. “Until now I wasn’t old enough to take such a journey, and I understood that after you, Twilight and Rainbow Dash saved me from those dragons. I’m just glad that you’re here now. If I would want anypony to be with me, it would probably be you.”

Rarity bowed her head, unable to voice her response and feeling suddenly overwhelmed. She swallowed gently and stared at Spike’s feet. _Yes, I do have to be sorry. I have to apologize to you for so much and you don’t even seem to mind._ The alabaster unicorn pressed a hoof against the fire-ruby, feeling her heart thumping against her chest. “Spike…”

“I should probably let you get to bed, Rarity. You need to rest, even after your back was healed.” He stood up and began to saunter into the room as the movement caught her attention. Rarity sat there, her breath slowly picking up as she thought about all of the things he did for her.

The fire-ruby, the gem hunting, all of the chores he ever did for her without so much as a single complaint. She looked at his shrinking form, unable to move from this position and feeling hot tears brimming in her eyes. _Even if you don’t still have those affections for me, I need you to know that you mean so much to me._ She sniffed, her hooves beginning to shake. He was almost into the room right now, his tail swishing to and fro.

Rarity tried to rein in her emotions; she prided herself on her emotional control throughout all of her other experiences with love, and now her bubbling, guilty feelings were breaking all of that apart. Her shoulders slumped and she almost wished that he would turn around for some reason, so that he would see her and ask what the problem was. Then it would make telling him so much simpler. _That’s what he would do,_ she told herself, sniffling and wiping the tears from her cheeks.

This had never happened before, not with any stallion she’d ever known, but in some way it seemed alright that this was occurring with him. Her heart was pounding against her chest; she was completely flushed, watching a perfect opportunity to confess to this wonderful and caring dragon slip right through her hooves.

The unicorn couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, could only feel the tears continue down her face despite her best efforts to wipe them away. Her other hoof was pressed up against the fire-ruby around her neck desperately. She glanced back and forth between him and his gift, panicking. He was almost gone, pausing just inside the doorway. Nearly there. Her one chance to really explain why she joined him on this perilous journey, missed.

No chance to ever go on that special anniversary date with him from her dreams and finally have the affections that he’d always shown her all to herself.

“Wait!”

Spike turned around to face her, Rarity feeling shocked and relieved and terrified all at once that it had been her who had called out to him. His eyebrows rose in worry from how she must have looked right then. She didn’t care. Not about her appearance or the mascara running from her tears or anything; just that he stopped and listened to her like he always had before was what mattered to her.

He took a cautious step forward, his wings stretching out at his sides. “Rarity? What’s wrong?”

She swallowed hard, still attempting to regain some control over her emotions. “Please, wait,” she repeated, finally finding the strength to stand. Her legs carried her over to the dragon, feeling more than a little nervous about what she was doing.

The elegant mare took in a shuttering breath as she stood before him, frightened by the fact that she was prepared to say exactly what she felt for him. Rarity wasn’t used to letting her words come out unfiltered, especially when she was speaking to males.

Spike just waited there, completely unmoving as their roles seemed to have reversed once again. “I want to apologize for everything I’ve ever done to hurt you, Spike. You cannot say that you don’t mind because I know in my heart that I have done such terrible things to you and I don’t want to hurt you anymore.”

She heaved in a desperate breath, the dam completely broken and the water pouring down from her eyes. Her eyes wrenched shut, but that did nothing to stay the tears. Rarity sat and sobbed outright in front of the dragon, years of regret and sorrow and anger at herself finally being let out before the one that she could show it to completely.

She gasped in a shaky breath when she felt a scaled hand under her chin.

Her tear soaked eyes shot open as she looked at Spike. He wore that same warm and sweet smile he always had when he was with her, but underneath it was sorrow. He was seated now, his face torn between fear and the want to comfort her. “You have never hurt me, Rarity. All of those times I was with you; the gem hunting, dressmaking, everything I ever did for you I helped you because I wanted to. So…please don’t cry.”

Rarity inhaled unsteadily, the look in Spike’s eyes taking any words away from her. Her heart thrummed in her chest, urging her toward him; to just get it over with already. She leaned forward, desperately, pleadingly, catching his lips with hers and pressing herself against him. Her eyes drifted shut. She drew her hooves up along his arms and around to his back, feeling Spike melt into the tender and passionate embrace.

His lips felt so different to her, so unusual compared to the stallions she’d shared any kind of moment like this with. She delighted in the sensations brought on by the unique flavours and texture of his lips. Rarity lingered there, drawing her tongue up to brush at his slightly open mouth. She could feel his teeth behind his lips, but she wasn’t concerned at all.

She brought him closer, near enough to feel her fur brush against his chest, sending tingles through her body. And it was at that moment that she realized how wet she was.

Her lips opened, damp heat pouring into her mouth. She felt Spike bring his arms around her back, cradling her softly. She pressed her lips against his in a mutual massage, and she and Spike were finally, actually kissing. Rarity darted her tongue past his lips and brushed it against one of his teeth.

_Ahh! Ahhhhh!_ she shouted in her mind, feeling a rush of arousal in her loins. It wasn’t clear whether the screaming in her head was from the fear of being cut by his tooth or from pleasure or both, but her mind was more focused on deepening this unique and incredible embrace. A long, flat, snake-like thing brushed along her tongue and into her mouth.

This time she really did scream. She leaned back from the kiss, panting wildly from surprise, excitement and unbelievable pleasure.

“Sorry! Sorry, did I hurt you?!” Spike asked, looking just about as fearful as she felt. She could tell in his eyes that he was still focused on that moment.

“N-no,” she breathed, waving her forelegs wildly in front of her, staring down at them. “I just…you-your tongue, I didn’t expect such a…a…” _An amazing and dexterous thing._ She swallowed and stared longingly at the violet dragon. Rarity took in a sharp breath, realizing that she had just kissed Spike for the first time. _I…I kissed him. I kissed Spike._

She thought about what the princesses would say; Twilight included, about what she was doing. _It’s…it’s against the rules, surely. No pony has ever done something like this, it’s definitely forbidden._

He reached over and touched a hand to her foreleg in concern for… _something_. Her eyes shot up to the dragon, filled with sudden desire; a desire that she had fought so fervently against back at her boutique. Now all she wanted was to make this dragon hers. _Oh, let them do what they want with me after. Right now, there is no one in Equestria or beyond who could keep me away from loving my dragon._

She lunged at him, and for the first time since he returned as an adult, she managed to knock him off of his feet. Rarity lay on top of him, still heaving in deep, shallow breaths while she looked down at him. Her tail was straining at her muscles, up and to the side, revealing her marehood to him inside the room. “Spike,” she breathed, lowering herself down onto his stomach. Rarity traced the edges of his smooth violet scales as she watched his eyes come back into focus.

He locked gazes with her, sitting up slightly. “R-Rarity-”

“Shhh,” the proper lady soothed, leaning down to him with half-lidded sapphire eyes. She poured her magic into her horn and drew the room door shut behind her. “Just kiss me.”

Spike swallowed loudly, though clearly he had a desire of his own to continue with this deplorable and utterly arousing act. He kissed her. Slowly at first, as she allowed him to explore her. It was obvious to her without him having to say anything that he had never kissed anyone before, but that didn’t distract from the tender moment. It was sincere, heartfelt and a lovely embrace.

She waited on bated breath and barely contained pleasure for him to slide his tongue into her again. Her body shuttered, nearly coming right there from the arousal that warm dexterous tongue brought to her haunches.

He tentatively flicked his tongue along her mouth, just behind her teeth. Her own tongue brushed against another one of his fangs, feeling a jolt of adrenaline rush through her and in her marehood. Spike drew one of his claws along her back slowly, and it felt as though he was teasing her. She moaned blearily as the dragon began to massage the tensed muscles in her back. _Mmm, I’ve never been this turned on before just from kissing._

She felt his other hand stroke her unkempt mane, loosening the soft curls from whatever dirt was in them. His claws weren’t nearly as sharp as she thought they would be, remembering when they danced at his party; how she feared what it would be like to feel them, but that frightening sense had never been answered. She wished now that he had used them back then, the feeling driving her mad with lust for this creature. Her backside rose slightly off of him, exposing more of her wetness.

Rarity bit his lower lip, causing his claw to tense in reflex. It stung a little, and her eyes squeezed shut for a few seconds, but the claws didn’t break the skin. Spike drew away from her lips, appearing utterly mortified about what he had just done.

She stared down at him with unfocused eyes. She sighed tenderly from the feelings he was bringing to her.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered, his claws hovering over her mane and back.

The fashionista laughed lightly, remembering where they were at this moment, drawing delicate circles across his chest. She smiled demurely at him, giving him her best sultry gaze. “Spike, don’t worry. If something like that happens, I will let you know.”

He just stared at her in wonder and amazement, completely floored by this turn of events. Rarity breathed in calmly and brought her head down to nuzzle the violet dragon’s cheek. He had no trouble returning that embrace, the alabaster unicorn brushing her cheek against his many times in the past. She drew a hoof up to the arm against her back, nudging it as a message for him to continue.

Spike started up again once he caught on, running his claws along her side and sending tingles through her body. “Mmm, Spike,” she moaned, stretching out on his stomach, “that’s lovely.” She released another hot breath and rested her head on his chest, feeling pulses of sexual thrill course through her body at each sharp scratch of his claws.

The dragon shifted in his position under her, growing more confident as she melted into his actions. He ran his free claw through her mane and down along her slender curves, eliciting a relaxed moan from her lungs.

Rarity leaned forward on his chest, still with her backside in the air slightly as she began to nip at his neck. She giggled when his head leaned back in response, exhaling and allowing her more area of his neck to tease with her mouth.

After a few minutes of her caressing the inexperienced dragon’s nape with her lips and warm tongue, Spike shuffled along on the floor, still cradling Rarity delicately in his arms. His claws continued to pull soft pleasured noises from her, and suddenly she slumped against him, releasing a surprised gasp.

He was drawing his claws along her collar bone and neck.

Despite feeling immense worry from those claws, she had an insatiable need for him to continue. Her mouth opened in a silent breath of sexual pleasure, leaning against Spike’s neck as his claws occasionally scraped along her vulnerable skin.

_What…what is this?_ she asked herself, never having experienced something like this before in her life. Her hips began to tremble and buck against him as her eyes rolled back, feeling an aching heat in her marehood flaring up.

Rarity took a shallow breath, allowing the violet dragon free rein of her as she tried to ponder these strange feelings. It wasn’t that she did not understand what was happening here; she had heard about such sexual practices being performed by others. She herself had never experienced something like this before.

_But I’ve never felt endangered before,_ she mulled over, releasing a soft moan as he scratched at an especially tender spot of her neck. She felt him linger around that area, probably realizing that she was enjoying the stimulation. She lost herself in the euphoric feeling for a moment, but it was clear that that couldn’t be the reason.

_I’m in no danger though. He’s a complete sweetheart._ His talons dug in slightly, still not puncturing the skin, but Rarity still felt something dribble down her stifles, literally wetter than she had ever been. “Uh!” she grunted, coming out of her thought process. She pressed against him harder, her tail about as high as it could go, straining against her muscles.

Rarity regained most of her control after another few calming breaths, returning the pleasurable feelings to this wonderful creature. She shuffled further along Spike’s body, lightly rubbing her aching marehood against him as she reached up to lick the bottom of his ears. She groaned out in guilty pleasure.

Her tongue brushed at the edge of his frill at first, pulling a soft moan from him. He went limp momentarily, and it was obvious to her that the ears were pretty sensitive on dragons. _I will have to remember that,_ she thought, tittering. With her tongue still doing its work, she brought her lips up to the bottom and began to coat it with her saliva.

Rarity opened her right eye to peer at the expression Spike was wearing, finding him almost completely immobile except for his continued motions on her fur. He pushed down along her slim curves, reaching her raised backside. He rubbed at her flanks, causing her to inhale sharply. Her hind legs began to quiver from the sensual motions and occasional scratches of his claws along her flanks.

_Oh… Who cares what the reason is?_ she shouted in her mind, throwing her concerns to the wind.

She drew her lips away from his ear frill, squeezing him tightly with her forelegs. Her rump wiggled in the air, bouncing up and down on her eager hind legs. She planted a soft kiss on the dragon’s cheek, before noticing all of the wonderful things he was doing had ceased.

His claws moved back up to her forelegs, gently cupping a leg in each hand. Spike lifted himself into a seated position.

“Hmm?” she asked him, almost sleepily.

He set her in his lap, clearly beginning to feel uncomfortable against the wooden floor like that. The dragon leaned down to her, moving his hands around her back to draw her closer. She giggled lightly at the contented grin on his face as he tried to process what was going on.

“Rarity, I…” He hesitated, suddenly in a daze. It was quite apparent that he hadn’t expected this sort of thing, let alone finding out that she was attracted to him. It was deeply amusing and charming to the alabaster unicorn.

She leaned into him, lightly pressing her soft forelegs onto his muscular chest. “Yes, Spike?”

He swallowed hard, and Rarity could feel him against her awaiting backside. “I…I- this is…what is going on here?” he finally managed in clear disbelief.

The elegant mare once again swirled a hoof around the violet scales of his chest, causing slight shutters to wrack his body. She giggled and looked up at him coyly. “Mmm, I guess what’s going on here is that…I am deeply attracted to you.” His delirious visage from that was priceless; just what Rarity would have expected from the innocent dragon she had known since he was little. “And that I love you...far more passionately.”

“You…you really…?” his emerald eyes widened, his face burning with emotion.

Rarity nodded serenely, seating herself as comfortably as she could despite the need to feel pressure on her marehood. She leaned forward, capturing his warm, tasty lips in hers for a brief, loving moment. When she drew back, Spike was cross-eyed and she was smiling. Both of their cheeks were bright red and hot, their shallow breaths mixing within the room. “Yes, Spike. I really, really do.”

She brought a hoof up to his cheek, gently rubbing the smooth violet scales. Rarity jumped involuntarily, letting out a gasp as a wave of nauseous sexual stimulation hit her. Spike’s member had brushed up against her craving entrance. She was panting a lot. It had been a long time since she’d done something like this, and feeling his own arousal where it was most needed drove her insane.

Rarity took a breath in and sat back down in his lap. “Spike,” she said, pressing a hoof against his chest to gain his attention. “Carry me.” He gave her an odd look. “Over to the bed.”

His cheeks flared. He swallowed loudly, trying not to appear like he wanted to think he knew exactly what she was suggesting. Spike leaned over slightly, cradling her back and rump in one muscular arm as he pushed himself to his feet. He kept her against his chest and neck as he walked on three legs.

She knew it wasn’t far, and that he would never drop her, so she sighed into the embrace and stared up at him lovingly. She pressed her hooves against his taut muscles, feeling them contort under them. He cleared his throat softly as he came to a stop, presumably in front of the bed.

The violet dragon lowered her down gently, taking a seat and cradling her neck and backside with both hands. She lay across the bed, waiting. When he didn’t appear to be joining her, she stretched along the sheets and moaned in disappointment. “Spike?”

“I…uh…” He fiddled with his claws, appearing more nervous than ever. He breathed a few times, and brought his gaze back over to the mare. “You…you want me to stay with you?” She raised an eyebrow at him. “Right here?”

Rarity took in a calm breath and pushed herself up into a seated position. Her marehood still craved satisfaction from what they had been doing, but she understood his apprehension. “Spike, I know that this is your first time. You’re nervous, and I understand how you feel.” She rested an alabaster hoof against his chest. “I want this to go…as far as you are willing to take it, but not any farther than what you are comfortable with.”

He gulped softly and nodded his head in silence.

“Now then, I trust that you know how…everything works,” she said.

“Yes,” he answered, shuffling along before the bed. “Uh, Princess Celestia explained it to me when I was older.”

Rarity dipped her head. “Good. Please, come and sit with me, Spike.” The dragon did as he was told, stepping up onto the edge of the bed and taking a seat next to her. She turned to face him, giving him a reassuring visage. “Now there’s no need to be nervous, alright? It’s perfectly natural, but we’ve known each other for so long, haven’t we?” she asked, taking his claws in her hooves.

He seemed to relax when she said that, thinking back to all of the times they had been together. “Yeah. It’s…it’s still…a little unnerving though.”

Reaching over and gently caressing his left arm, she leaned forward only slightly; not too close as to make him uncomfortable. “You are doing just fine, my dear.” He smiled at her, much more confident in himself than when they began. “We can just start with some kissing, if you like, and see how we go from there.”

Spike swallowed and agreed. She leaned in slowly and met his strange lips with her own, the proper lady once again allowing him a wide berth to become accustomed to this intimate act. He brushed his long thin tongue against her lips, asking for entrance. Rarity parted her lips, and joined her tongue with his in a tender embrace.

She moaned against him, pressing her hooves over the taut muscles of his chest, smoothing his scales out as she made her way up to rest around his neck. The feeling of his tongue still enticed every fiber of her being, never having felt something so deliriously good before. Her tail once again rose off of the sheets, wet with her excitement as her marehood once again presented itself to only one male.

He pressed his tongue against the roof of her mouth, caressing past her tongue and exploring every corner of her. Spike drew his claws up her slender form, earning a groan of sexual thrill from the mare, feeling his claws scratch at her smooth skin. He slowly drew his arms across her shoulder blades, pulling her into his lap. She giggled into the embrace, feeling him press against her stomach as their act became more passionate.

Her face was flushed completely, wrapped up in feeling every strange muscle, and heat washed part of his body and mouth. She leaned in on him, causing him to shift back as she allowed herself more room, now with his confidence returning. Rarity heard his wings spread out for balance, as sweat slid down her brow and chest.

She lowered her fore hooves down across his scaled body, pulling delicate moans from the dragon’s mouth. They came to rest on his backside, feeling his aching member brushing up against her wet entrance. She cooed and massaged up and down along his lower back, feeling his muscles contort under her hooves.

Her breath suddenly caught, and her loving actions ceased completely. Rarity fell against him, her eyes rolling back. _His tongue,_ she pondered deliriously. _It’s wrapping around mine, oh…oh, my goodness this is hot._

Rarity leaned over farther, cradling him in her hooves and sliding her tongue along his. Spike fell onto his back along the bed, and she lay down on top of him. Her hind legs were planted on either side of his hips, quivering from the taut muscles in her haunches. The burning, craving sensation in her marehood was driving her mad, begging her for some relief.

She reined in those desires, wrestling her tongue free from his and sliding it into his mouth. He groaned into the intimate kiss, still drawing intense sexual feelings from scratching along her fur and skin with his claws. The elegant mare licked at every surface past his wet lips, caressing his mouth as her motions returned to his scales.

The unicorn retrieved her tongue from his mouth, pushing herself up on her forelegs as she lay on Spike’s chest. She stared at him through lidded, wanting eyes, breathing in ragged gasps. Her rump brushed up against his erection, earning another intense gasp of tormented pleasure. He set himself up on his elbows, looking about as excited and out of breath as she was.

“Spike…I want you to make love to me.”

His emerald eyes widened as he lay beneath her, but he did not look away from her shimmering sapphire eyes. His claws dug into her skin, eliciting tentative coos and moans from Rarity. Spike dipped his head, shifting in his position to set his legs in between hers.

A worrying thought hit her suddenly. She had had a few sexual experiences with stallions before, not too many, but it made her nervous as to how the dragon’s member would feel against her lower lips. Stallions were one thing, since they were the same species, but what if his was too big?

Not that she thought that big was bad, but…this might be a little uncomfortable if they weren’t compatible in this way.

Her tail spasmed violently, as she thought about having him inside of her. She could feel herself wink, begging for it. _But what if it…hurts?_ His member was rubbing against her marehood, sending further nauseous waves of ecstasy and passion through her body. Just the thought of him entering her and the possible pain that would come with it was making her drench her fur. _Sweet Celestia, what is wrong with me?_

This had to be a mistake. Going through with this would surely make the princesses angry. Livid.

_It will be our little secret._

She didn’t dare look back, but she could feel that his member was pointed right at her marehood, waiting for her to take him in. She pushed herself up onto her shaky hooves. Giving him her best enticing gaze, she began to lower herself down onto him. She flicked her damp tail and turned it to the side, sending splendid shockwaves through her loins.

_Oh, this is going to feel so good._

She gasped out in sheer pleasure and arousal, as only the tip of his erection met her aching entrance. Her lips opened up around him, and she let out a timid moan as she finally, _finally_ felt pressure on the place that she needed it the most. Rarity shut her eyes loosely, craning her neck back and hearing him making sensual grunts underneath her. It didn’t feel nearly as large as she feared it would, something the mare was immensely grateful for.

Managing to rein in her euphoria over her relief, the violet-maned mare turned her eyes back to the dragon and fluttered them open. He was in bliss, staring back at her with blurry eyes. Her lips lifted slightly as she stared at him, and caressed his cheek with a delicate hoof. He pressed a hand over top of it, stroking down her leg and making her sigh. The violet dragon nodded for her to continue, still with his other hand on her back.

She resumed slowly, almost painfully so. She inched down onto him, feeling every little pleasant shock and shutter that wracked her body through this incredible moment of bliss and pressure. And then she muffled a tremendous scream, feeling another head against her tender lips. She went cross-eyed. _There…there are...two of them?!_

The unicorn let out an intense gasp onto his scales, burying her burning face into his stomach from the unexpected heaven shooting across her body. She was almost collapsing on top of him, trying to focus on his second erection. It was still sliding along her lips, jutting out against her as her magic managed to surround it.

She set it against her mound, creating even more arousal to drip from her marehood, but at least it wasn’t overwhelming. Rarity took him for days, months, years, crawling along as her walls were drenched and forced apart. She felt like she could remain here in this state for at least twice that long.

Spike let out a groan, tensing his claws around her and making her shake all over from the combined arousal. “Oh… _my!_ _Spike!”_ she shouted out, unable to contain herself any longer.

“Are you okay?” she heard him ask, sounding miles away.

“Oh, yes…yes, yes, _mmm!”_ Her knees were bending inward, right on the cusp of an incredible orgasm. She could feel it, so unbearably close. She was losing her mind, feeling one maleness driving into her, while the other was sliding across her sensitive button.

She pushed in again, and let out a shrill cry that sounded like something extremely unladylike.

“R-Rarity!” Spike yelled back.

She almost scowled at him, managing to stare up at him, but she caught herself, seeing the embarrassed look in his eyes and remembering where they were. Rarity gave him an apologetic smile, resuming her slow descent onto his manhood.

He pushed into her with his hips suddenly, making her gasp out in real pain. “Ah! Slowly…slowly,” she said, unable to open her eyes and check on him, too lost in painful pleasure from having her walls stretched so wide. Her chest was heaving against his, as she ground her teeth together. She gave a little whimper of delight.

Whatever he heard her say, he began again, pushing smoothly, precisely, sliding into her by the hour as he took over. She felt every inch of her inner walls being pressed against his throbbing erection, helpless and in pure bliss as she teetered on the edge.

When she bottomed out, her hooves seemed ready to collapse from the pleasure. With him inside her, just resting with that pulsing maleness against her wall, it felt absolutely divine. She focused her eyes again after a brief moment, and the alabaster unicorn found the dragon with his eyes cast upward at the ceiling. “Duh…guh…buh…”

She slowly lay back down on his sweat soaked body, wincing with desire as one member pressed firmly up against her inner walls, while the other slid over her button. Rarity giggled into her hoof, raising a curious eyebrow when she had settled her breathing down a little. “What happened to that silver tongue of yours, dear?”

He grunted and shifted slightly on his back. “I don’t know. I can’t think straight.”

“Well, when you _can_ think straight again, let me know,” she said decorously, tracing little circles with her hooves within his scales. “It’s rude to keep a lady waiting, you know, and I want you to enjoy this too.”

The violet dragon gulped as he looked at her, and took a few long breaths. He rested his head against the sheets, causing Rarity to chuckle at his behaviour. Once he had calmed down, he lifted his head back up, beginning to rub down her sides and down to her rump again. “Okay, I think I’m ready.”

He glanced into her eyes, waiting for acknowledgement and confirmation for him to resume. She nodded her head for him to begin pulling out. He blinked once and started to slip out of her. For some reason, it was on the first out stroke that she came. Whatever control she had regained over that short rest was completely lost to her mind again. She gripped his arms tightly in a vain attempt to stifle her screams.

“Uh, uh, uh, _uh!!”_ she moaned desperately, overwhelmed by the erection within her, and the pulsing member outside against her button driving her crazy with desire. Whatever it was, she climaxed immediately.

Spike grunted, clearly feeling her seed soak him. He drew his claws through her fur and across to her back, plunging his manhood back into her.

She was in a euphoria like no other. Her mouth was wide open in a silent gasp of unimaginable sexual thrill and release, continuing unabated as the violet dragon continued to pump into her. It was as though she were coming with each stroke of his, entirely at the mercy of this incredible rolling orgasm.

_I can’t breathe, can’t move, think._ Her eyes were wide open, staring into Spike’s arm or neck or head or something. It was incredible. He had even found a smooth rhythm in and out of her, stopping just short of pushing too far. _A natural,_ she managed to ponder through her blurred mind. So _good for me._ She knew she was still lying across his body, her legs and tail trembling wildly, but she had ceased to feel any of it.

All of her attention was on this burning thing in her loins, her fluids dribbling out onto his hard member. Her vision blurred again, every fiber of her being except her lower half going numb, useless. Moments passed by, and still he was pounding into her.

_Still?! How has he not finished yet?_ she asked herself, coming out of the ecstasy slightly. She could feel another wave of bliss coiled up in her marehood, the burning feeling of her walls being spread apart so rapidly, almost overwhelming.

His other member was still sliding up and down along her mound, and his claws were clenched achingly against her flanks. She bit her lip, muffling another amazing cry of pure thrill that would surely be heard by every dragon in the settlement. Her limbs shivered against him and she was sweating all over.

_Well, what are you doing, darling?_ she asked herself. _You’re the experienced one here, and he’s a virgin. Well…was a virgin. Is he really too much for you to handle?_

Pulling herself together, she pushed herself up and locked lips with him once more, pushing her way over his sharp and arousing teeth and feeling a wave of dizzying adrenaline shoot through her. One of her hooves shot down to stroke at his exposed erection, caressing it fervently and pulling a surprised gasp from the dragon with each thrust.

He was close, she could tell. The huge phallus plunging in and out of her walls was tightening, so close to a release that she so desperately needed to feel from him. Her stroking quickened, feeling a third orgasm approaching from these intense feelings coursing through her body.

_I’m going to make sure we experience this last one together,_ she dizzily told herself, still riding the last one down and moaning passionately from his claws being tight against her flanks. She separated her tongue from his mouth, reaching her limit and exhaling deeply.

“Rarity…uh…uh, _uh,_ ” he growled, as he and the alabaster unicorn climaxed at the same time. He pounded her mercilessly, thrusting against her as the burning hot fluid filled her and mixed with her own within her tight inner walls.

She pressed her body against him, everything from below her forelegs tensing up from the extraordinary feeling. Her hooves wrapped around his neck, and her hind legs shuttered and trembled as he continued coming, spurting up against and down her walls. She felt a little bit of his seed leaking out and onto her stifles, spilling onto his crotch.

He moaned passionately the entire time; as Rarity just laid there, mouth agape from bliss and pleasurable pain. Spike growled one last time into the air, and then he finally, finally stopped coming. Her grip loosened on his shoulders, drawing her hooves away from her stomach before at long last collapsing completely against him.

She was entirely spent, still feeling the phallus rubbing at her walls as it pulsated. Both of them were gasping for oxygen, totally lost in the ecstasy of their warm, passionate embrace. After a moment to calm down, Rarity picked herself up, and drew herself carefully off of him. The proper lady then lay down on her back, beside the violet dragon.

“Wow… _wow!_ ” Spike panted, turning onto his side with his wings spread out behind him. Rarity smiled from his excitement, still riding on that last bit of euphoria and hot dragon seed within her. “Rarity…that was…that was amazing.”

She laughed toward the ceiling weakly with her legs raised up, still not strong enough to look his way. “Yes. It…it most definitely was incredible, my dear.” The lady sighed in bliss, and felt her damp tail fall against the sheets of the bed. The muscles in her body finally relaxed a little, and she pushed herself over onto her side to stare at Spike. “That was some of the best loving making I have ever experienced.”

“You really mean that?” he asked, his emerald eyes still seeming unfocused.

She scooted closer, wrapping her forelegs around his shoulders again and burying her nose into his neck. Rarity slung her hind legs through his and twirled her drenched tail through his as best as she could. “ _Oh, yes_. I most certainly mean that, darling. You were splendid…and if you do not mind terribly, I would very much like it if I could fall asleep like this with you. Is that alright?” She rubbed her cheek against his flirtatiously, before staring up at him with a beseeching visage.

He swallowed softly and drew his arms across her fur, drawing little shivers down her spine from his claws. Spike rested his head against hers over the sheets. “I never could say no to you.” He paused, and sighed longingly. “I love you, Rarity,” he whispered sweetly into her ear.

The fashionista snuggled up as close to him as she could, finally feeling at peace, having the dragon that had always been there for her to herself, as he had never once stopped loving her in return. She shut her tired, happy and glistening eyes, her chest brushing up against his in a perfect synch, as their breaths matched. “I love you too, Spike,” she mumbled, before she drifted off into a dreamless slumber.


	24. Chapter 24

Hello everybody,

I know it's been a while since I posted anything, so I decided it couldn't wait any longer. I was struggling with how to go about writing this chapter, which was why it took so long, but recently I hit another writing storm.

Also I would just like to say how much I appreciate everyone here sticking with this story, despite it slowing down so much in chapter production. Part of the inspiration I have for writing this is reading your comments and seeing how many people actually read it. Thank you all very much, and I hope you enjoy this addition.

So long for now.

* * *

Pinkie

The view was undeniably breathtaking. Clouds had formed high above in all shapes and sizes; the patterns and designs diminished as the pink pony stared at them, developing into other forms as time drew on.

It was midday, judging by the sun high up in the sky, but the later hour had done nothing to lessen the amazing colours of the water far below. The little pony had never been on a boat out at sea, nor had she ever thought about such an experience prior to now; however, despite the circumstances of the voyage, Pinkie was glad to have the chance to be here all the same.

The air was clean and crisp, and there was a constant breeze. The wind rushed through her curled mane and fur and whistled in her ears, though being on a boat sailing along the Equestrian coast at high speeds, Pinkie imagined that that was fairly difficult to avoid. Distant mountains from Canterlot and the Dragon Spire Mountains could be spotted if her eyes shifted to the right, the splendid sight of such wonders not being interrupted by the clouds ever-changing in the sky. It was a truly beautiful vision all around them, something she was certain Rarity would be enjoying at this time.

“I hope we can find them before it’s too late,” she spoke aloud to herself, not imagining anypony to have heard her. The pink mare pushed herself off from resting her hooves on the side of the ship, to look around at who had come up to the deck.

They were close to Starswirl Island by now, her and her four friends having the captain explain the route they were taking. So she had returned to look out at the expansive stretch of water, and hopefully spot the island with the odd name. _If I can spot it from farther away, maybe I can see what shape it is._ She had to giggle, guessing that it would look neither like a star nor a swirl, but found it fun and funny to imagine nonetheless.

Several sailor ponies were up with her, maintaining the boat so that it would reach their destination without any delays or unforeseen complications. _Ex-pirates,_ she thought excitedly, her shimmering cerulean eyes growing. _I wonder if they would tell me about adventures they went on if I asked, stealing treasure, fighting the law, mystical creatures and other pirates._ She felt as giddy as a school filly with a lunchbox full of chocolate cake thinking about that. Captain Vem was sure to have a tale or two to tell, if only she had the time to ask.

Twilight was on deck as well near the middle of the vessel and on the right side, with Applejack not too far away. Pinkie managed to smile and began to hop over to the two mares.

“Hi, Twilight! Heya Applejack! What are you two doing?” As she approached, she could tell that Twilight had her map out, and the orange pony seemed to be looking off of it also.

Applejack glanced up from the map to grin, tipping her hat in greeting. “Howdy, Pinkie Pie. Twilight and ah are just lookin’ off this here map again. If we can’t get the help that Princess Celestia spoke about with Twilight then we’ll need to know the best and fastest way to the western continent.”

“Oh,” the earth pony replied, taking a spot to the right of Twilight, on the floorboards of _the Sea Princess._ “Have you found the best way yet then?” She stuffed a hoof into her mane and brought out some gum, tossing it into her mouth as she watched.

“We think so,” Twilight answered, lighting up her horn to roll the map back up, before placing it back in her saddlebags. The alicorn turned to face Pinkie. “There are a few islands on the way, across the open ocean, but most of the really large ones are spaced out enough to not cause any trouble. It’s basically a straight shot from Starswirl Island to the coast of the western continent.”

“Great! I hope that will get us to Rarity and Spike faster.”

“Me too, Pinkie. Hopefully, Princess Celestia has managed to convince the ibex by now though.”

Applejack rested a hoof on the astute alicorn’s shoulder. “Ah’m sure we’ll catch up to them, whether or not we have another ride from Starswirl Island. ‘Sides, those two are strong. They’ll look after one another.”

“Yeah! Say, where are Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

“They’re still below deck,” the farm mare replied. “They both said they were fairly hungry, so I’d imagine they’re still down at the mess hall.”

Pinkie frowned. “Mess hall?”

“Uh huh, it’s at the back of the boat. There weren’t enough seats right where the food was prepared, because the sailors were having lunch, so Fluttershy and Rainbow offered to go back there instead.” She stopped and narrowed one eye at the party mare. “Pinkie, what are you chewin’ on?”

The little pony concealed her worry over the situation, only raising an eyebrow in answer. “Oh. Gum. Want some?”

“Uhh, no thanks.”

She shrugged. “Okie dokey lokie! More gum-gum for me then. Well, maybe I should go see them. Maybe they have some leftovers for me. I’m already hungry again.” Without another word or waiting for a response from either of them, Pinkie bounded off to the stairs below decks. _And those three,_ she thought, suddenly letting her concern show. _I hope they were able to hide before Fluttershy and Rainbow saw them._

She descended the staircase, still hearing the waves crash about across the sides of the boat until she emerged in the kitchen area. Most of the sailor ponies were present, and the shouting and laughing drowned out the sounds of the sea or the breeze from above. True Blue caught her eye as he was making the meals for his fellow sailors and waved to her.

Pinkie grinned back and waved, bouncing off to check the spot where she had discovered Sweetie Belle, Applebloom and Scootaloo the other day. _I’m sure they’re fine,_ she reasoned. _They did make it this far without being seen, well except by yours truly, and nopony can compete with me in hide and seek. Still, it looks like there are plenty of places to hide here. I’m surprised none of them earned a cutie-mark in being a spy._

The magenta-maned pony rounded the corner and spied the barrels that the three young mares had hidden near, but couldn’t see Sweetie or the others anywhere. Pinkie closed the distance to the Mess Hall quickly, pushing the door open and spotting her two friends sitting at a table, plates almost empty.

“Hi girls!” she shouted, waving in an exaggerated fashion at the two in the room.

“Hey, Pinkie. What’s up?” Rainbow Dash called from over her shoulder.

She halted at their shared table and looked up, hoof to her chin. “Oh, you know, the usual. The sky, clouds, birds, the sun, space-”

“Okay, Pinkie! I get it,” the cerulean pegasus interrupted, slapping a hoof over her forehead. “Jeez, when will I learn never to ask you that?”

The party pony shrugged as she bounced in between the two friends. “I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers.” She bit her lip. _But I do have a question._

“Are we nearly there, Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy mustered as she placed her utensils down on her plate of food. “Oh, it would be so awful if we were late and we missed the ship that the princess sent us.”

Pinkie waved a hoof in answer. “Oh, don’t worry, Fluttershy. We’ll be arriving shortly. Besides, Twilight hasn’t received a letter from Princess Celestia yet, so I doubt it’s left.”

“That’s what I told her,” Rainbow cut in, stuffing her face with a forkful of food. “But feeh wouldn’t lifen to me.”

“Fee?” the earth mare asked, raising an eyebrow. “Why would Fluttershy need to pay anything?”

“No, feeh!” she tried again.

Pinkie glanced over at Fluttershy and saw her shrug and shake her head. “You sound really silly, right now, Dashie.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and groaned. She swallowed. “Whatever. So, what are you doing down here? Did Twilight send you down to get us?”

She tensed up briefly, thinking about what she promised the three stowaways on the ship. “Oh, no, I just wanted to come and see you.” _Wait a minute,_ she thought suddenly. _That’s it!_ “Actually,” she began, leaning in toward the two pegasi and lowering her voice conspiratorially. Her bright eyes shifted from left to right. “I’m looking for somepony. Have you two seen any strange characters come through here recently; slightly smaller in stature than us?”

“Umm, no?” the speedster replied in confusion.

“Shh shhh! Not so loud,” Pinkie whispered aggressively, even though she knew nopony would care to hear her speaking normally. _It’s all part of the ploy, Pinkie._ “Fluttershy? What about you?”

The timid mare shook her head again. “Sorry, Pinkie,” she said in a quieted voice. “Why are you looking for them?”

“Oh, no reason,” she answered. The excitable pony bounced back up to a standing posture and grinned widely at her friends. “Anyway, those two are looking at the map for different routes in case the princess’ boat never comes.”

“Worrywarts,” Rainbow scoffed into her fork of food. “We’ll be fine; Twilight’s just,” she swallowed, “being her usual egghead, worrying self. The princess has never let us down before.”

“Well, that’s true,” the timid mare spoke up. “But it never hurts to be prepared.”

“Do you think these ex-pirates have any cool stories about being non-ex-pirates?” Pinkie interrupted, causing both ponies to glance at her in confusion. “I mean, they must have some stories of stealing gold and jewels from underwater chests or rich families, or fighting the sea or having a swashbuckling fight with some berry eating weirdo, right?”

It was clearly a difficult question to answer, judging by their faces contorting in even more confusion, but she could wait. Having explained what she was looking to ask about, the excitable mare resumed her giddy bouncing.

She watched as Rainbow Dash’s hoof lightly collided with her forehead, exhaling and shaking her head afterward. “Okay, I don’t know _exactly_ what you just said, but I heard the word pirates and talking about tales of pirate-y things, so I’m interested.” The speedy pegasus leapt out from her seat at the table and rose on her wings. “Fluttershy, are you going to come along?”

“Um, actually, I think I’d like to go up for some air,” the pony replied, resting her forelegs on the table. “I’ve never seen what the ocean looks like in pony before, but it must be beautiful out here, and I’m sure there are quite a few marine animals I’ve never seen before too.”

“I don’t know about the new animals, but the view up there is definitely super exciting,” Pinkie responded, hopping in place while Fluttershy stood from her place at the table as well. “Just, if you go up there, don’t take an umbrella too, or else you might be blown away by the wind, and I don’t think we have enough time to be inventing a new sport like wind surfing.”

She blinked in surprise briefly, before the nature-loving mare giggled into her hoof. “Thank you, Pinkie. I’ll keep that in mind.”

In return, Pinkie beamed. “Don’t mention it. Heck, a few hours ago, I almost invented it, but Twilight pulled me back in with her magic before I could figure out any cool tricks. Oh well, maybe on the way home from finding Rarity and Spike I’ll have more time.”

With excitement in her heart and a bounce in her step, the little pony turned on her heels and bounded toward the door she had come through moments prior. She glanced over her shoulder to see if the two were following her, but found that they hadn’t moved since she began on her way.

“What?” she spoke up in confusion and interest, ceasing her bouncing and merely staring at the pair. “We don’t have much time left to do either of those things and I want to hear at least one super terrific story they have to tell.”

“Riiiight,” the cerulean pony said, flapping her wings and slowly approaching her. Fluttershy followed a step behind, all three leaving through the open doors. “So who do you have in mind, Pinkie? I know the captain would have a lot to tell us, but he’s probably a little busy at the moment.”

“We could just start with True Blue, and ask around the tables while the rest are still eating if he can’t tell us anything.”

Rainbow nodded. “Sounds like a plan to me. Are you going to head up right now, Fluttershy?”

“I think so,” she answered as the kitchen area, and all of the sailors, came into view. “I hope you find a good story before we have to leave. Maybe you can tell me about after.”

“Sure thing, Fluttershy!” the magenta maned pony exclaimed. She and Rainbow waved goodbye as the timid mare wandered up the stairs to the upper deck, before they both spun around to face the ponies at lunch. _Now I want to hear what adventures these ex-swashbuckling heroes got up to while they were still buckling and swashing._

It was late into the afternoon when _the Sea Princess_ docked at the Harbour of Starswirl Island. By that time, all of the sailors that were eating had left to prepare the ship and tie it at port, so not even True Blue was present to regale Pinkie and Rainbow Dash with any stories.

None of the ponies they asked had much to say on the matter anyway, so it was unlikely that he would be any different. Still, it was disappointing that they had had no luck in hearing cool tales.

“Can you believe that, Pinkie?” the cerulean pegasus scoffed flying in place with her forelegs crossed. She frowned at the stairs to the surface, most likely from watching those deck hooves scramble up after explaining that they had nothing of interest to share. “Not a single one of them told us anything.”

The party mare herself merely sighed mournfully. “Not even one itty bitty tale of adventure? That doesn’t sound like the pirates I read about in books.”

“Yeah. I really doubt that none of them went on any dangerous trips. If that’s the case, then we have had more experience with that sort of thing than they have.”

An idea popped into Pinkie’s head from her friend’s rambling. Or perhaps it was more like a bell tolling, or a light bulb clicking on. Either way, she had had a thought. “Well,” she began, standing on her hooves and looking beside her at the pony, “maybe they wanted to hear one of our stories before they told us anything.”

“Eh, I don’t think so,” Rainbow replied, coming down to land a few feet in front of her. “Maybe they were all hiding something from us; like they don’t want us to know what they did. Oh well, we’re already here at Starswirl Island, so we’ve got no more time to ask around. Come on, Pinkie Pie. Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy are probably already waiting for us to get going.”

She nodded her head ecstatically, remembering what their main goal was. “Right. I forgot to check what shape the island was, a star or a swirl. Then we have to check out every sweet shop on the island.”

“Uh, no. We have to go find Rarity and Spike.”

“Oh yeah,” Pinkie said with a giggle, bouncing forward to ascend the steps with the high flyer right beside her.

The sun shone down upon _the Sea Princess,_ and the magenta maned pony had to squint for a few moments as she and Dash set hoof on the deck. It was far less windy than it had been while Pinkie was up here, though there was a little breeze that she could feel against her fur. There were shouts emanating all around her, yet the rays of the sun were blinding. A gentle rocking told her that they had indeed landed at the shore of the famous island, and once she could see clearly once more, the voices the mare heard were no doubt attached to those ponies she and Rainbow had questioned earlier.

“Tie that off,” one of the sailors cried from her left.

“Help me with this, will you? We’re running a bit late already,” said another.

The shouting persisted as the two friends made their way over to the left side of the ship. Once again, the board was locked in place for guests and crew to depart from the vessel, and Pinkie could see Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy standing to the side of the dock. It was surprisingly large for such a small island, however Pinkie had only ever seen the docks at Vanhoover and Manehattan.

Regardless, the pier appeared to stretch across half of the shore, and all manner of fishing and shipping vessels were present. Many ponies and zebras and giraffes were rushing about along the wooden planks, unloading and loading their stock as the crew of _the Sea Princess_ was currently partaking in as well.

“Hey you two, quickly,” the lavender alicorn exclaimed up at them, shaking the mare from her watching. “We don’t have any time to lose, remember?”

“Right. Those sweets aren’t going to eat themselves,” she answered, bounding down the steps and out of the way of sailors carrying big crates or barrels. When she reached the bottom and grinned at the trio waiting, the odd looks they were giving her in response jogged her memory. “Oops. I mean, Rarity and Spike aren’t going to rescue each other! Or something like that.”

Rainbow soon joined the assembled party, rolling her magenta eyes when Pinkie glanced her way. “Yeah. Something. Anyway, what’s the plan? No letter from the princess yet?”

The three others shook their heads. “I’m afraid not,” Twilight admitted. “We can only trust that what she’s doing will get us there in time. In the meantime, we should make sure that our boat hasn’t already arrived and Princess Celestia is just late in letting us know. It would also be wise to go into town and see if we can find some more food to stock up on. The remainder of the journey won’t be as easy as taking a ship around the continent.”

“Ooh, great ideas, Twilight. Maybe I’ll be able to eat some sweets from here after all.”

The alicorn exhaled lightly and took in another breath. “We should split into three groups. Rainbow Dash, you’re the fastest out of us, so could you fly over to the other end of the dock and start scanning for the right ship?”

“You got it.”

“Fluttershy and I will begin from here and work our way over to you, while Pinkie and Applejack go and find some food to take with us. Hopefully, something that will survive in the harshness of the frozen continent we’re heading for.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” reassured the country mare with a tip of her hat and a glad expression. “I’ve come prepared and stashed away everything we need to start a fire for cookin’ or heatin’ up some meals while we’re there. Granny Smith taught me well about takin’ the essentials of survival.”

A smile eased its way onto Twilight’s face, a welcomed change by the pink pony since they discovered where Rarity and Spike had really gone. “Good work, Applejack. If any of you find anything, let the rest of us know. I can shoot a beam of light up in the air, Rainbow can perform a Sonic Rainboom and Pinkie can use her party cannon…if you brought it, that is.”

“Are you kidding?” Pinkie answered, first appearing flabbergasted that Twilight even wondered at all, before she drew back and pulled said cannon out of nowhere and beamed. “Of course I did.” The little pony aimed the cannon straight up and launched the confetti within into the air with a loud popping noise.

Once the multi-coloured party decorations had settled around the five friends, and all of the ponies that heard the commotion had returned to their routines, the studious mare cleared her throat. “Now let’s get moving. The longer we stay here on this island, the more chances there are that something bad could happen to Rarity and Spike.”

“Come on, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack called from her right. “It’s a small island, but ah saw the town at the top of this here hill from the ship. Hopefully, they have what we need to continue with this little journey.”

“‘Little journey?’ Applejack, we just finished saying that this is a huge deal.” Nonetheless, the party mare joined her orange friend in sauntering up the hill, bordered by two huge rocks with moss growing half way up each. There was an unusually shaped tree from behind the rock on the right as well, the trunk and branches bending in strange places and ways.

It was quite funny to Pinkie, wondering why no trees in Ponyville or the Everfree Forest were like that.

“Ah was bein’ sarcastic,” Applejack responded flatly, but couldn’t hide the small amused smile from Pinkie.

“What’s that taste like?” she asked.

Applejack only rolled her green eyes and shook her head. “Nothin’. Never mind.”

“Well, if it tastes like nothing no wonder you want to forget about it.”

This time she managed to receive a chuckle from the country mare. “Nothin’ ever dampens your spirits, does it, Pinkie?”

She shook her head rapidly, beginning to bounce a little as she walked. “Nope. And how do you know about spirits? Do you believe in ghosts too?”

“Shucks, no,” her friend said as they reached the top of the hill. Before them lay the town that Pinkie Pie assumed had a similar name to the island itself. “Ah’ve never seen one nor heard a spirit speak, and I don’t suspect ah ever will. Ghosts and spirits are just as make believe as zombies. Now then, ah wonder if this place has a marketplace or some such.”

“I believe in ghosts,” Pinkie responded softly, through her sudden pout. Another thing she had come to copy from Rarity, she recognized. In an instant, her behaviour shifted into a contemplative one. _Hmm, I wonder if she has picked up on any weird things I do…or is copying her just another Pinkie-sense thing? What if I hung out with Applejack or Fluttershy like I do her? Would I copy them too, and become some kind of combination of the three? What if I-?_

“Pinkie, look out!”

“Huh?” She resurfaced from her thoughts in time to see a pony with a large purple hat on her head closing in on her. She seemed to be as out of it as Pinkie was mere moments prior, and upon looking up from her newspaper, her stoic expression turned to shock and fright.

It all happened quite quickly.

The pony shut her eyes, likely readying herself for the inevitable collision, but the pink mare kept her cerulean eyes open. On reflex, her curled pink tail shot forward in front of her, wrapping around the stranger’s right front leg and spinning both of them in a clockwise manner, dissipating their momentum in the process.

Seconds passed.

She waited for the two others to reopen their eyes, seeing from her new position that Applejack had flinched away from the scene just before she thought it would happen. Pinkie’s tail released its hold on the pony’s leg, snapping back to its normal position on her backside.

“Oops, sorry there,” she giggled cutely, seeing that her unbelieving-in-ghosts-and-spirits friend was gazing at her through squinting eyes. “I guess I got distracted from where I was going. It happens.”

The new mare’s eyes shot open in confusion, glancing to her left and right, before staring directly at Pinkie. “Huh? What? What happened?”

Now the party pony chuckled lightly, reaching behind her and grabbing her fluffy tail in one of her front hooves. “You just got saved by Pinkie’s tail. It tends to have a mind of its own when things like this happen. I suppose I should name it. Hey Applejack, what do you think of Fluffy Pink Tail sense?”

“I…I…what?” the pony continued.

Applejack laughed as she wandered up next to the stranger, tilting her Stetson back on her head. “Don’t worry about it, sugarcube. If you don’t know what just happened, having just met Pinkie Pie, ah can tell you it doesn’t get any easier to tell after bein’ friends with her for as long as ah have. Trust me.”

“That’s what I’m telling you, Applejack!” Pinkie shouted suddenly, zooming up to the two ponies. “If you can believe in my Pinkie-sense even though you can’t see it then why can’t you believe in ghosts?”

The mare in question leaned back slightly, appearing startled to have the cotton candy pony so near. She stepped back away and cleared her throat. “Well, ah didn’t say ah exactly believe in Pinkie-senses, but just like Twilight that one time, ah learned that whether or not ah believe in it, it will hurt if ah ignore it. Now, ah never had an experience like that with any _ghosts_ , so if or when that happens ah’ll consider adding that to mah list of things ah can’t ignore.”

Pinkie tapped a hoof on her chin in thought and raised an eyebrow. “Hmm, I guess that makes sense. Okay, that is acceptable to me.” _Note to self, play a prank on Applejack to make her believe in ghosts,_ she pondered devilishly, giggling afterward.

“Great. Now, as for the pony you almost ran into, ah’d like to apologize for what just about happened.” They turned to find the amber coated mare still staring in surprise at Pinkie.

Tilting her head at her bizarre expression, the magenta maned pony waited to hear something from her lips. This stranger shook her head shortly after, appearing apologetic for something. “Oh, uh, it’s fine. I wasn’t watching where I was going either. No harm done.”

“Well that’s mighty fine of you to say so. Ah’m Applejack and this here is Pinkie Pie.”

She nodded in answer. “Sapphire Star. How do you do? You must be new here; I haven’t seen either of you around before.”

“Yep. We’re on a mission!” Pinkie Pie shouted gleefully, hopping a few times for emphasis. “We have to find all sorts of snacks and candies and goodies for the trip.”

Applejack chuckled from beside her. “Well, she’s partially right. We are on an important mission, but we’re looking to find more actual meals to take with us. Sugar and sweets is fine sometimes, but if my friends and ah wanna keep our strength up we’ll need some real lunches and dinners. Would you know any places we could go?”

The pony inclined her head. “Sure. There’s one just down the street and on the right,” Sapphire pointed out, motioning with her hoof. “This is the downtown district, so there are a few places to choose from. But to me the place I mentioned is my favourite.”

“That’s mighty kind of you, Sapphire. Thanks for the info.”

“Not at all. I hope whatever you have to do goes well. Have a nice day!” She began walking away, stopping to wave behind her at Pinkie and Applejack.

“Bye, Sapphire Star! I’ll be back to play you the friendship song after we’re done, but unfortunately we don’t have time right now.” With that out of the way, she grinned brightly and turned to face an unimpressed looking Applejack. Pinkie tilted her head slightly, her magenta mane following the action.

Neither of them said anything. The pony with the golden mane simply started walking in the direction Sapphire Star had suggested, and the little pony followed closely behind.

Around half an hour later, Pinkie came bounding out of the restaurant, her mane full to bursting with candy and other snacks. The other customers within that place were eyeing her in confusion, though she didn’t pay them much mind. She had accomplished what she set out to do, and Applejack had her saddlebags full again with food for their continued journey. It was a double success.

The excitable mare licked a lollipop dangling from her mane as it bobbed up and down with her light prancing. The front of her mane was curled around the stick, keeping it in her reach. Beside her the orange pony said nothing, merely tipping her Stetson forward on her head.

Once the two exited the building, Pinkie jumped once and breathed in the clear afternoon air. “My energy is already refilling. I was beginning to slow down without any sweets in my tummy. Did you notice, Applejack?” She glanced over her shoulder and saw the mare in question roll her green eyes.

“Ah still don’t understand how you managed to find some sweets while you were standing right next to me in the line the whole time. Are you sure you didn’t end up takin’ some of that comic book hero Filli-Second’s abilities back into this world?”

“I have my secrets, Applejack,” Pinkie answered, turning her head in a fashion similar to Rarity. _I can see why she does this,_ she thought with a quiet giggle. _Even if she is pretending when she does it, it’s still a lot of fun._ Her focus returned to the dangling lollipop, while they continued walking. “Hmm, I wonder what this flavour is. Strawberry, blackberry, dragonfruit? Applejack, try this and tell me what you think, would you?”

Applejack shook her head as she strolled beside her, leaning back from the sweet in her vision. “Ugh, this is just like when you nearly talked mah ear off at that cherry orchard,” the farm pony muttered.

“Seems like a combination of flav-” Pinkie gasped, causing Applejack to start back in shock. “That reminds me. You never told me what name you liked better, chimicherry or cherrychanga, or chimicherrychanga! And you never sang along with me back then either. I still remember the song I made too. Pickle barrel, pickle barrel, pickle barrel! Sing it with me. Pickle barrel kumquat, pickle barrel kumquat, chimicherrychanga! Come on, Applejack, I know you want to.”

“Hey, wait a minute. Ah think ah saw somethin’ over at the docks. That must be Twilight or Rainbow!” She pointed a frantic hoof back in the direction of the ships. Without another word, the cowgirl dashed off, leaving Pinkie with no choice but to gallop after her.

“You’re just saying that so you don’t have to sing with me!”

“Um…yeah?” she replied, glancing behind her at Pinkie.

The party mare tilted her head to the side and crunched on the remaining candy. Her hair flung the stick into a nearby trash can, while she ran through the small town and down the hill. “At least you’re honest about it!” she called out, grinning widely.

“I don’t know what to do now! How are we supposed to get the rest of the way without a ship?”

Twilight’s voice carried on the wind as Pinkie and Applejack cantered onto the wooden boards of the wharf. Fluttershy was standing beside her, her mane covering most of her face while a piece of parchment was held in a lavender aura. Rainbow landed mere moments before Pinkie approached, coasting down and raising an eyebrow at the alicorn’s outburst.

“What’s going on, Twilight?” the cerulean pony asked, folding her wings against her sides. “Did Princess Celestia finally send a message?”

Pinkie skidded to a halt next to Fluttershy, and the farm mare stepped up shortly after. “Some good news ah hope. Pinkie and ah managed to bring some more food for the trip. Did any of you find that ship?”

The others didn’t answer. The timid pony backed away a few steps, drawing Pinkie’s gaze momentarily, before she stared at the letter in Twilight’s magic.

She sighed and turned the letter over for her, Applejack and Rainbow to read. “It’s from the princess, yes, but she says that no ship is coming for us. The ibex refused to send help, despite her insisting how important this is.”

“Aw, come on!” exclaimed the speedy pegasus, drawing curious eyes to their group. “We’ve come this far and now this? _Not_ cool.”

Applejack ground her teeth worriedly. “Shoot. Is there no other way for us to get over the sea?”

Shaking her head, Fluttershy ruffled her wings awkwardly. “We asked all over the port while we were looking for the ship, but nopony was able to take us that far out from their usual route for deliveries. This isn’t good.”

“What isn’t good, my friends?” came a voice from Pinkie’s right. It was familiar, and when she tilted her head, she knew she had been right as to who had spoken.

The captain of _the Sea Princess_ stood before them, burgundy eyes smiling and tricorn hat balanced nicely atop his head. His forelegs were out of his blue coat, and the sleeves were being caught in the wind blowing in from the sea. The sailor’s outfit was in full view this time, and he had a sword sheathed at his side. Rainbow took to the air and moved over to the side so that his sailors could bring a crate down to their vessel.

“Hiya Captain Vem,” the pink pony shouted with a wave of her hoof. “We’re kinda stuck here now ‘cause our transport fell through and now we have nothing else to do except eat all this candy I have stashed away.” She dug into her magenta mane and tossed a sour raspberry candy into her mouth.

His wide smile faded into a slight frown and he rubbed his scarred chin. “That so? Well we can’t have that. You can’t save your friends when you aren’t able to make it across the sea. What about asking for somepony here to take you along with them?”

“No good,” Rainbow responded, crossing her forelegs. She scoffed. “None of these ponies said they would help us out. Too busy with whatever they’re shipping to sail over.”

“That’s not what they said,” the studious alicorn cut in, standing away from the group, peering out at the expanse of water. “Most of the supplies being shipped from here can’t wait. Plus, they would probably be in big trouble for sailing into ibexian waters without permission. We can’t ask them to step away from their jobs just because we ask them to.”

Pinkie saw the rest turn to Twilight, surprised by her calm and collected answer. She herself was a little startled by her demeanour, after telling them what was on the letter. “Twilight?” the yellow mare whispered, stepping closer to her friend.

“Captain Vem,” Twilight began, not taking her eyes away from the water sloshing about against the pier.

“Princess? What can I do for you?”

She spun around, a stern and determined expression across her features. “We need _the Sea Princess_ one more time.”

After a moment, the stallion smirked. He let out a laugh and tipped his hat. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“Hey! All of you lay abouts and slackers!” Vem shouted from the dock holding _the Sea Princess._ The five friends stood around him, careful not to be in the way of readying the vessel to set sail. “Hurry up with those provisions and repairs. We’ve got another request from a princess who needs our help.”

“Right, captain!” the present crew called out in return.

“Woohoo! Extended cruise time!” Pinkie roared from beside him, hopping up and down excitedly. _Oh, well and of course rescue Rarity and Spike time. I knew I was forgetting something important._ She tossed another sweet from her mane into her mouth and crunched on it.

“You sure y’all are alright with this, Vem?” Applejack asked from behind her.

“No doubts at all,” he replied easily, turning to the group and smiling. “I have a feeling Princess Celestia was counting on me having one of my rebellious streaks today. Just in case she wasn’t able to get those blasted ibexes to cooperate and give you five a boat, she sent me and my crew along.”

“Why’s that, Captain Vem?” the cerulean pony questioned, flapping her wings above the rest.

He grinned and turned his gaze to his ship. “Because, no matter what I’m asked to do, even when I was a pirate captain, I always did what I felt was right. And now what is right is helping you find your friends. Doesn’t matter if I get reprimanded for speakin’ out of turn or going off somewhere where I’m not meant to; if it’s important to my crew and I, and it’ll save lives, I’ll do it.”

Vem glanced over to Twilight, his grin slackening somewhat as he did. “And I alone will accept the penalty. None of my crew has faced something like that because they’re only following captain’s orders. If anypony is to make them pay a price for disobeying orders, it’s me. Thankfully, Celestia realizes and accepts that. Even if she didn’t, I wouldn’t let a single member on my ship be disciplined for following me.”

“You may have to face some sort of repercussions for helping us, but I understand,” said the lavender mare, locking gazes with the captain. “I will make sure that your crew is not harmed for what you are asking of them today, and I will explain the circumstances to anypony who asks.”

“Right. We have an accord.” His attention once again shifted to _the Sea Princess._ He set a hoof on the board set on the ship. “Set sail for the western continent. From this point on we’ll be making transgressions in the waters of the ibex princes. Our aim is the Ibexian Tundra, so no matter what we come across, be it beasts of the sea or an Ibexian warship, we can’t turn away. Let’s take a trip down memory lane, lads and lasses. Give our ship one more grand adventure.”

The five friends made their way onto the ship, behind the blue stallion, while his crew shouted excitedly in answer. Pinkie leaned to her left and rested a hoof over her mouth, so that only Fluttershy could hear. “Does that mean we’re technically pirates?” she whispered.

She nodded slightly in return. “I think so, Pinkie. Oh, I hope we don’t upset Princess Celestia by doing this.”

“Woohoo! I knew this would be a great day. Where’d I put my eyepatch?”

“Everything and everyone is on board, captain,” a yellow unicorn at the top of the board informed. She had a white coat draped over her sailor outfit, and its sleeves and her black ponytailed mane caught the breeze. “Uh, Princess,” she said in surprise, bowing when the alicorn stepped onto the deck.

“Excellent,” Captain Vem replied. “Tabatha, these are the ponies we had with us on the princess’ request; Princess Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. And to the rest of you, this is my Vice-Captain, Tabatha.”

The ship lurched backward suddenly, jostling the pink mare and the rest of the ponies out of their conversation. Dashing off to the left side of the ship, Pinkie saw the water brushing along _the Sea Princess’_ outer hull _,_ and soon it left the wharf completely. The ship spun around and slowly began moving off into deeper waters.

“Well, no turnin’ back now,” Applejack spoke up from beside her.

“This is so exciting! Isn’t it, Applejack? We’re gonna be pirates!”

Rainbow chuckled before them. “I have to agree with Pinkie here. It would be cool to be a pirate. At least I always thought so. Now we have a chance to see if we’re right.”

“Don’t forget about our real reason for being here,” Twilight interrupted, standing next to the Captain and Vice-Captain. “Princess Celestia trusted us to bring Rarity and Spike back home before it was too late, and Captain Vem is putting himself and his crew on the line for us. We can’t let that go to waste.”

Applejack smiled and turned to face the studious mare. “You’re right, Twilight. Captain Vem, sir, we’re at your disposal. Whatever you need us to do, just say the word.”

“Mighty kind of you, Applejack. In fact, I do believe that my Vice-Captain here has something waitin’ for all of you down in her quarters. The winds out here can get quite chilly, especially near the tundra coast. I assume that is why I hardly saw you until now.”

“Yes, captain,” Tabatha answered with a dip of her head. The red-eyed unicorn started off toward the stairs to the lower decks. “Come along with me. I used fabric that should be well-suited for your journey through the tundra as well.”

“Oooh, sounds great. I wonder if Rarity thought of that.” With the ship rocking back and forth over the rough sea, Pinkie hopped along with the others while the sun was beginning to set upon the horizon.

Clouds had gathered closer in the sky, darkening out most of the light from the sun. She saw Rainbow stop at the top of the stairs and gaze up. The little pony halted as well, wondering what her speedy friend was thinking.

Her magenta eyes narrowed ominously. “It’s going to be a dark night,” Rainbow Dash muttered, before descending the steps.

Pinkie looked to the air as well for a moment, and sauntered after the rest in silence.


	25. Chapter 25

Twilight

 

_“No Twilight,_ I’m _the reason he left._ I’m _the reason he moved to Canterlot.”_

_“Because Spike came back to Ponyville for a vacation_ from _heavy lifting and work. I would be taking away the time he has to himself if I should do that.”_

_“Twilight, you must_ believe me _, if I had known he would leave for four long years, I…”_

Those sentences and more continued on in her head, while she sat on the floor of one of the changing rooms aboard _the Sea Princess._ In her hooves she held the jacket that the Vice-Captain, Tabatha, had prepared for her, but she had been locked in place over those repeated words for a few minutes now.

It kept going over in her head, how differently Rarity had acted since Spike returned; how she treated him and the sincere look in her eyes when she had wished to say yes to the dragon if it would have meant he would have stayed for those four years. It made her wondering why the elegant mare had agreed to go with Spike on this quest seem superfluous…and it made her feel even more ridiculous for having not thought of the reason earlier.

“Does she…does she have feelings for Spike after all?” she questioned the jacket. There was no response, of course, but voicing questions aloud had always been a better way for her to understand things than contemplating them in silence ever was.

“Who are you talking to?”

“Gah! Pinkie, don’t do that!” she shouted in surprise at the pink mare, who was suddenly sitting before her on her right side. After another pause, the lavender alicorn sighed. “You are still…going to do that, aren’t you?”

Ever the curious and hyper-active pony that Twilight knew, possibly a little too well at this point, Pinkie did what she thought would happen and completely disregarded her question in order to say, “Well you were just sitting there in silence and looking at that jacket while we were talking and trying ours on for when it gets super chilly later, and I was super curious even though I was talking to Fluttershy about how cozy these are, and fuzzy too, and…wait…where was I going with this?” She tapped a hoof to her puffed out chin for a moment. “Hm. Oh well. Why are you talking to a jacket, Twilight?”

Another exasperated sigh escaped the pony’s lips, before she lifted the purple garment in her aura and settled it down over her seated self. “I wasn’t talking to the jacket. I was asking myself something.” She stood and turned her head to see that the others were viewing their conversation mutely, though still being curious as to what her reason could be, no doubt. “Speaking aloud helps me to think difficult things through better, okay? And this has been a doozy for a while.”

Directly across from the lavender alicorn on the opposite side of the room, Rainbow merely scoffed from behind the wool collar of her red jacket, fitted with holes in the cloth for her wings to fit through. “Yeah, whatever, egg head. Here we are about to go head long to an island full of deadly dragons…and Twilight here is stuck on some math question or something.”

“Rainbow!” Applejack admonished from the speedster’s left. She wore her jacket as well, a burgundy shade of sorts, though it was made differently than the rest. It had sleeves that her fore legs fit through, and held the front of the coat tight around her to retain warmth.

_Probably because Princess Celestia told them to make earth pony wear more able to handle cold situations, given that they don’t have magic,_ Twilight pondered quickly, _At least pegasi are built more for high altitudes…and I can use my magic to keep me warm._ Her speculation ceased and she turned to answer the speedster. “I wasn’t stuck on some math question. I was wondering why Rarity agreed to go with Spike; why she acted so different since the day he returned.”

The room stood in silence for a brief time, nopony saying anything, before the cerulean pegasus began glancing around for what reason Twilight knew not, with a slightly smug look. “See? See? I knew I noticed something going on with them,” she pointed at Twilight, meanwhile staring to her left at Fluttershy and then across at Pinkie.

“I noticed it too, Twilight,” Fluttershy spoke up with her head held low from Rainbow’s outburst, stepping forward to be beside Pinkie. “She did seem to tease him more than before, and I know she did miss him; like she would miss any of us if we were gone for as long as he was.”

“I know,” the alicorn nodded in confirmation, quirking her head to the side and staring at a piece of floorboard, “but I believe with what I heard from her now it could be due to another reason. One I can’t believe I didn’t see before, or…hoped to, but was too afraid to look for Spike’s sake…and finding that it was the same.”

Applejack wandered forward a little, into her peripheral vision, with a concerned visage. “What are ya gettin’ at, Sugarcube?” she asked, as Twilight locked gazes with her. “Why do ya believe she changed from before? Because you obviously do, or else we wouldn’t be havin’ this conversation.”

“It was the way she said something to me, when she came to the castle and Spike was out with Pinkie.” She hesitated, turning from her friends and finding interest in her fore hooves momentarily. “She just said it with such sincerity; such emotion…and not any of the drama. She genuinely felt hurt that it was her…who made Spike leave for all that time. It drifted into my head then, for just the briefest of moments, that ever since he left she has been hurting…for being the one to chase him away. And now that he is back, she is over the moon in a way…because at least she hadn’t made him leave his friends forever.”

The farm mare sighed and shook her head. “Well, ah can certainly believe that. She thought mighty kindly of the little fella. Ah mean, when he was still a _little fella_. Ah reckon Rarity had been glad to see him again.”

“I think we all noticed the teasing resume quite quickly too,” added Rainbow, raising an eyebrow for emphasis. “She doesn’t do that quite so much with anypony else around here.”

“I…talked with her a little bit about it,” Fluttershy said. “Without saying anything too private, she was really concerned for him, but still didn’t know what to truly think about Spike.”

“Pinkie?” Twilight asked, noticing now that she hadn’t spoken about anything for most of the chat. “What do you think?”

At hearing her name being called, the mare’s ears twitched upward, followed by her head shortly. She appeared oddly contemplative at the moment, odd even for her. “Hm?”

“Rarity,” the astute pony repeated calmly, warily, “What do you think has changed about her friendship with Spike?” Before being too hasty to end such a private inquiry that way, Twilight added, “If you want to tell us, that is. I know you still have a promise to them.”

She remained stoic and silent for some time, her expression not changing or faltering, worrying Twilight greatly. She and the others exchanged glances briefly, before Pinkie seemed to return from wherever she had been. “Telling you about what we talked about and what I think are separate things,” Pinkie stated, surprisingly cordially for one so usually bubbly and excitable. “I do think that she thinks differently of him now, not just because he’s older, but because he left. Because even though so much of him has changed in those four years, he still looks at her in pretty much the same way as before. That is part of why she went with Spike. Because now she needs to know how she looked at him then and how she looks at him now. How she thinks she should be looking.”

Again, the cabin fell quiet, if not for the softly sloshing waves flowing around the ship. Twilight had been expecting the same sort of response she received before they left Ponyville; an answer and somehow not an answer as well. The alicorn wasn’t expecting to be bombarded with such a lengthy and sensible thought process as that.

“Wow, ah wasn’t expecting that from you, Pinkie Pie,” breathed Applejack, beating Twilight to the punch. “Though ah guess that makes sense, what with her tellin’ him not ta carry her things like before. Maybe him leavin’ was honestly a way for both of them to grow up some, not to say that neither of them were grown up already mind.”

“I wasn’t expecting it either, but that is what I was thinking for a long time,” the party mare responded, looking noticeably more bouncy after speaking her mind. “I could tell when she came back from gem hunting alone a few days before that she wouldn’t want Spike finding out what happened with her back that time. I know that would have hurt him, not being there to carry her saddlebags.”

Twilight sighed again. It was beginning to become a trend; one that she did not enjoy in the slightest with all that was occurring. “True…but I am still going to give them both a piece of my mind for not telling me the truth and worrying me.”

“Well, you can at least agree that his chances are better that Rarity is with him, right Twilight?” the shy mare quizzed, her turquoise spheres seeming to search for some kind of agreement on her part.

She dipped her head in acknowledgment. “Yes. I suppose so. And if what we just talked about is true, then it does explain why Rarity didn’t simply let Spike leave; not on his own anyway. If he was in trouble and had no one to look out for him, I’m certain that she would blame herself when she found out. Alright, I’ll think about it. In the meantime, let’s go and see how much farther it is until we’re in the Ibexian Tundra, and thank the Vice-Captain for these new outfits.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Twilight,” the speedy pegasus agreed, already making her way to the door with her cloak. “Well, not exactly the thank you part, but I can agree to that too. Maybe I can drop by for some extra food on the way there.”

“Yer already thinkin’ about eatin’ again?” Applejack questioned as she followed along behind the pony. Twilight watched Fluttershy also wandering out to join the others above deck. “Y’all must have a stomach nearly the size of Pinkie Pie’s.”

In response, the pink mare began to bounce along with them, giggling up a storm. “I doubt it. My stomach is absolutely humongous! I think maybe it has its own parallel dimension thingy and that’s how I can eat so much. What do you think, Fluttershy?” The hallway outside of the room erupted in laughter as the alicorn shifted her gaze to her own cloak.

Quickly their talking quieted, before fading against the sound of lightly crashing waves entirely. It left Twilight alone to ponder what was said for a moment longer, before peering at her cloak and levitating across her form. _Whether I am angry at the two of them or not, Fluttershy is right. At least they are together._ She allowed herself to smile a little at the thought that maybe Spike will finally have his feelings for the unicorn returned.

Upon arriving above deck, the studious mare saw her friends conversing with Vem and Tabatha on the bow. Other deckhooves scrambled to and fro as Twilight sauntered toward the group, not mistaking the back drop of the icy continent that they are approaching. _There will be long nights of wind and cold ahead, though with my magic working I should be able to create a more habitable area for us while we sleep. If those two are as resourceful as I know them to be, then I am certain that they found a similar solution to cope with the freezing conditions._ “There you all are. How is our time, Captain Vem?”

“Well, we are just starting out from shore; however, for such a long trip across the open ocean I have us going as quickly as possible without it upsetting our old girl here…or any of the crew.” The sea captain turned his head toward the continent ahead and exhaled through his nose. The others exchanged odd glances as the astute mare finished her approach, stopping between the Vice-Captain and Fluttershy. “It has been quite a long time since I made such a voyage. Since any of us did. It is refreshing to feel such a strong ocean breeze again, though we never ventured too close to the eastern shores of the western continent.”

“Why not, Captain Vem?” questioned Rainbow.

He turned his head again. “The eastern shore is not a very hospitable place at any time of the year. It is rocky and dangerous beneath those waters, and always has a coast full of crashing waves. Every pirate captain knew better than to sail in that direction. Not much to plunder, not much activity and those ibexes were surprisingly good seafarers themselves back in those days; still are, I would wager.”

“I would know what ibex pirates were like more than most,” Tabatha spoke with no hesitation, her black ponytailed mane and Vice-Captain’s coat billowing out behind her.

The captain spun on his heels to face the bright yellow mare, while Twilight and the rest watched on in silence. He nodded briskly, his own uniform’s free sleeves being blown in the wind. “Aye, I would imagine so myself.” It appeared to be a tense moment between the two of them, or so the alicorn thought, the looks one gave the other speaking volumes about what they must have gone through together, before the princess brought them here. However, as soon as it had happened, it all faded with a clear cheer on Tabatha’s cheeks.

“Even so, it has been long since I was in any sort of circumstance such as that. The ibex are a proud, honorable and prosperous nation, and I would not hold what happened against each of them. Besides, those that did participate were only bloody pirates after all.” She said the last bit as a slight smirk dawned her features, a twinkle in her red eyes. Before long, Vem too shared her expression, and the mood seemed to lighten significantly.

“Hey, watch who you’re talking about; you pointing hooves. Let’s not forget you joined me long before we switched sides of the law.”

The unicorn stood up tall and gave him a confident glare, no longer grinning at the captain, but with a stoic visage. “I was coerced. After all, I had little choice under the circumstances. ‘It is either this or drown’, as you so eloquently put it at the end of our little conversation.”

Vem laughed and approached the mare. “That I did, that I did. Though to be fair, I don’t think it took much to convince you in the first place to come along with us. That was only the last little push, and if we weren’t on a sinking vessel and had loads more time, you would have come around. I saw that desire in your eyes and heart longing for the sea.”

In reply, Tabatha scoffed and turned slightly, still facing her superior officer. “I believe that your ship will need your attention soon enough, sir.”

At that, the captain rose to his fullest height, still a bit shorter than his Vice-Captain, and repositioned the tricorn hat atop his head. “Ah, yes, it does. I am recalling now, despite all of those years passing.” Twilight again looked bewildered at their exchange, watching with rapt curiosity as the stallion marched past her, nearer to the center of the ship. “Attention everypony! We will have to redirect our course a little bit.” The other seaponies dipped their heads in acknowledgement and began yelling out commands and trotting along the deck. Meanwhile, Vem glanced back at the assemblage of ponies. “When I said it was roughly a straight trip across the open ocean, I was leaving out a few coral reefs and prisons of sharp rocks along the way; for a bit of fun.”

“Can’t you say it just a little bit more pirate-y like?” Pinkie asked from behind the knowledgeable mare, head slightly slanted to the left. After a small pause, where Twilight saw Applejack slap her hoof to her forehead and the speedster roll her eyes and shake her head, Vem smirked noticeably.

Tabatha merely sighed and stepped closer to the Captain, spinning about to address them. “You really shouldn’t encourage him, miss. If I may ask this time, sir, please go easy on the pirate side.”

“No promises,” he interjected, yet retaining that clever and slightly unnerving grin. “On deck you scapperous seadogs! We have treasures to find and a lot of obstacles to overcome, so quit your lollygagging and dragging your hooves, take us to the left of this reef. I don’t want my ship to have a date with destiny just yet!”

“Aye, captain!” those in attendance shouted back, saluting briefly before galloping off to their supposed stations. Twilight watched the action unfold, the different things his subordinates were doing and how neither the Captain nor the Vice-Captain were giving out any orders.

_They must be a deeply knitted crew to know what they must do then,_ Twilight rationalized, smiling despite their current dilemma, _just like our group._

“Miss Sparkle,” she heard from her right, finding Tabatha standing tall there. The pony was a touch taller than she was, and her face was fair but lightly freckled. Her jacket sleeves flew in the breeze along with her coat, being picked up from the motion. “Where do you suspect that your friends will be on this continent?”

“Oh, uh, well I,” she began, not really knowing where to start looking. After a few short seconds, she noticed that the mare was waiting patiently for her answer, despite her own nerves. Allotting the resolve to find her two friends, Twilight breathed in deeply and calmed her mind. _Think rationally, Twilight. You know where they are going._ She stepped forward, toward the port side of the ship, the yellow mare matching her pace. “Our friends are headed for dragon lands, at the western most section of the continent. As it stands, we are already three days behind them. Spike is also a dragon, so if all is well for them, then they are likely already beyond the tundra.”

Tabatha nodded in understanding, turning briefly to gaze at two ponies pulling hard on some rope tied around the boat’s railing. “That is good to know, princess. Do you have a strategy for when we arrive at the coast? I assume that you glanced at some maps of the shore?”

“Constantly,” Twilight responded, chuckling a little. The two ceased in their strides at the edge of the deck, looking out at the far reaching waters. “For most of the train ride to Vanhoover I was spilling over old maps of the area, protection spells and what little information there was of the surrounding area of the Scorched Lands.”

“These friends are dear to you I see,” she merely said, locking eyes.

A light blush covered the alicorn’s cheeks, shifting in her stance to be sturdier should another gale of wind rock _the Sea Princess._ “Yes. While we are not related, Spike was hatched by my magic. I only recently discovered from Princess Celestia how important that was, since nopony else before me had managed such a feat. I suppose that he has been a bit of an adopted son of mine for some time now.” She smiled shyly then, pausing briefly. “Rarity is another of my best friends, one who I believe wished to keep him company so that he would not be going alone, so I have to go and find them and make sure that they are alright.”

“I understand. Fear not during this journey at the very least. This crew is well experienced in seafaring. And although we will likely be departing company at the shores, we will be hoping for the best for you and your friends.”

“Thank you, Vice-Captain Tabatha. I just hope that nothing happens to you or your captain or crew for what he is doing.”

The stoic unicorn closed her red eyes briefly and shook her head. “Vem has been through many hardships such as this and never shirked his responsibility to us or eluded his punishment. Each time he returned to the ship, he would say that how he was reprimanded was nothing compared to his life as a pirate. So, do not feel responsible for his decisions, princess.”

“I see. Alright, I will try. Uh, by the way, Tabatha…a-about earlier…” Her request petered out, hesitating quickly. _No, Twilight. You shouldn’t be prying into her past. It is not any of your business._ “Nevermind,” she said, waving a hoof in front of her. “I shouldn’t have asked anyway.”

“You may ask, if you wish, princess. I have no desire to hide how I came to be on this ship with this crew. I assume that you were about to ask about that earlier argument the Captain and I had.”

Twilight merely inclined her head in agreement, remaining silent.

“It was Captain Vem himself, as we spoke of before, prior to being under Princess Celestia’s command. He rescued me from a pirate vessel owned by the ibex pirate group known back then as _the Horns of the Glacier._ It was attacking a small transport vessel travelling from Vanhoover to the Zebra lands of the south continent. My father and uncle were there with me, going on a trip to the coast of Zebfera.

Above the waters, just beyond the edge of the ship, Tabatha fashioned a small image through magic of what appeared to be a coral reef, covered only barely by the tides. “The coral reefs there are meant to be some of the most magnificent in the world,” she continued, releasing the spell and turning once more toward the princess. “However, due to those pirates, we never arrived. We were boarded, the deckhooves killed and my father and uncle taken captive. Being on a private vessel, their captain thought that they would fetch a good ransom if we were kept alive. So they took what little trinkets were aboard the ship, shot it full of holes and ultimately left me to drown. If not for what Vem did, I probably would have.”

“What happened? How old were you?” Twilight quizzed. _How can she be so calm when talking about something so awful?_

“This was ten years ago, when I was fourteen years old,” the pony answered. “And Captain Vem saved my life that day. As you could imagine I had tears in my eyes from losing my family and being left with a few pirate stragglers, but this very ship was in the area,” she tapped twice against a wooden board of the deck with a forehoof, “and they two boarded the sinking transport. They fought off the ibex pirates and caused them to flee with cannon fire. They found me above deck near the stern, and Vem asked if I wished to come along with them instead of drowning out at sea right then. Well, you can guess how that turned out, and I ended up working as a deckhoof for _the Sea Princess._ ”

The lavender mare swallowed hard as a thought occurred to her. “But what happened with your father and uncle?” she asked nervously, inclining her head slightly.

“Safe and sound back home right now, at least I hope.” She smiled, and allowed for a pause for Twilight to do the same. “Both Vem and the princess don’t take too kindly to foalnapping or ransoms. That was one of the few times before Vem turned from being a pirate that he ever talked with the princess about a plan to free my family. In fact, he wrote and sent the letter to her himself, after hearing my account of what happened. She was quick to relay her support in the matter, knowing my family since my great great grandfather lived in Canterlot as a cook, and despite my grandfather moving south to Vanhoover a few years before he passed, my father and uncle still kept in touch with her Highness in the days after our rescue. She was there at the Ibex Cove to see the issue resolved. Those pirates never foalnapped any ponies again after that, and I decided to remain with Vem and his crew.”

“Wow,” she exclaimed, glancing down at the deck of the vessel. “She never told me about solving a dispute like that. Though that explains why the princess accepted all of you, even after ten years of being a pirate.”

Tabatha chuckled briefly, looking as though she was recalling something from that time. “That, and because she knew that Vem was a truly terrible pirate.”

“Huh?” That was not something Twilight expected to hear; not from one of his friends and certainly not from his Vice-Captain. _Besides, how would Princess Celestia even know that?_

“You appear confused, princess. My apologies, allow me to explain.” Twilight merely nodded her head, and the yellow unicorn cleared her throat. “I was still fourteen at this time, so I did not quite learn this immediately after agreeing to go with Vem the pirate. I started out just doing little things around the ship, mostly below decks. I began by cleaning the different rooms to be of use; otherwise I felt like I was nothing but dead weight. Vem of course was not of the same opinion at first, yet I convinced him after a short time. When I was sixteen the crew discovered that I had a bit of a knack for sewing, seeing me stitch up some clothes I brought with me from the vacation that never happened. You can see how that turned out, obviously.”

Twilight gazed down at her cloak and grinned at the unicorn. “I suppose so. I will have to introduce you to my friend Rarity sometime after we find her. She is quite the fashionista herself.”

She returned the expression and nodded. “Well, when I was old enough, eighteen at the start, I learned of his experiences as a pirate. He was apparently full of legend, so said many of the crew and actually the locals of the ports that we docked at over the years; though when I spoke with him directly, I heard a different story.” The alicorn’s glad visage fell at that, into puzzlement as her head tilted. “He told me that he was a poor pirate.”

“What?”

“It is true. He told me that he was constantly losing bits and treasure and never had a fleet or a complete crew. Some were loyal, however most were in it merely for riches and to hurt others. Vem had his share of criminality in that aspect as well, but whatever he did in that time he did to help others.” Tabatha stopped again to emphasize her point, which Twilight understood and nodded to.

“When I was old enough to join him on one of his journeys I learned more; that he was avoiding dangerous areas to keep me safe. He lost out on even more rewards doing so, yet he never let me talk him out of it, nor any of his crew. Again, some were alright with this, but some ended up betraying him to another pirate group. So, with even fewer pirates than he had under him before, he tried one last time to garner some wealth. He left me behind at the port in the zebra lands with a pirate he knew to be a friend; True Blue. So this next part I heard from him afterward.”

“What, Tabatha? Did he…did he succeed?” She cringed a little at that. _I’m not certain whether I want him to have done the job or not? I just hope that he and his crew were not hurt._

“Well, no,” she replied, causing the princess to lock gazes with the calm and collected mare in shock, “he did not. He did, in a way, obtain the treasure that he was searching for, but then he was betrayed by one of his previous companions. This ship was fired upon with all of his remaining crew aboard and it began to sink with all of the plundered trinkets. And while he remained to fight all of that traitorous pirate’s new crew, he ordered all of his ponies onto the other ship. He saved them, saved them all, although they said that they were not happy about that.

“And when all appeared to be lost, it was Princess Celestia that rescued him from his fate. Along with all of the pirates aboard the sinking vessel with him were spared, and once they were all back on dry land and the pirates who betrayed Vem were in the Day Guard’s custody, she offered him a choice. To continue the quest of a pirate and one day be taken captive and killed, or to join her in defending her ponies. After a short time of conversation, she convinced him and most of the crew that you see here today that what they wanted wasn't harming ponies on the seas, but aiding them from others like what he was trying to do on that ship.”

“Whoa,” Twilight whispered in awe of the story. That was one thing that she had not heard from her mentor. _Who knew Princess Celestia would actually escape the guards of Canterlot and save ponies so far away, though I suppose that they are all her ponies…even the pirate ones._ “I had no idea. But…you said most, I…you mean not all of them followed him after that?”

The yellow unicorn shook her head solemnly. “Most of his remaining crew had either been a part of the betrayal or fled after learning of his change of heart, but those loyal, such as True Blue, stayed and agreed to help the princess in defence of her realm. His ship was the same, though younger at that time. And so what he spoke of when you met was quite accurate. His old crew do not like him being in support of the princess.”

“Have you finished telling the princess about my past yet, Tabatha?” the deep blue stallion asked, sauntering into Twilight’s peripheral vision from behind her.

“Captain Vem, uh…w-well, you see we were talking about her time aboard this ship and…”

Tabatha sauntered forward slowly. “Twilight, it is alright. After all, it was I who began speaking of the events leading up to now.”

He waited quietly as his friend spoke for herself, before gazing at the studious pony. “So, now you know why the princess trusted me to be the one to take you across the narrow sea?”

“You call this narrow?” Rainbow said, flying over and landing to the right of Vem. “Spike wasn’t kidding when he said he could fly for longer than any other animal; the wings on that guy.”

“Could somepony please tell me what the hay is goin’ on?” the farm pony requested, wandering up herself on the Captain’s left side, with Pinkie and Fluttershy not far behind. “Twilight, why’d you disappear on us like that?”

Twilight dipped her head. “Sorry, girls. The Vice-Captain wanted to discuss some things with me; some things about the past of Vem and his crew.”

“Ooh ooh, was she talking about the past where Vem was once a pirate, but he wasn’t a very good pirate, and he kept on doing good things instead of bad things like stealing treasure and eventually saved Tabatha here when she was with her family, and also about later when Princess Celestia had to save him from a sinking ship of _evil_ pirates then asked him to become a whatcha call it instead of a whoseewhatsit? Was she?”

The Captain and Vice-Captain looked surprised to hear such a swift and accurate statement coming from the party pony, though Twilight merely placed her head in a hoof and noticed her friends performing similar rituals of silent bewilderment at Pinkie’s abilities. She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. “Yes, Pinkie. That is exactly what we were talking about.”

“Really? Cool, I was just guessing.”

“Except for…that last part, right; about the whatcha call it and whosee thing?” the cerulean mare fished hopefully. Twilight silently nodded.

“Well, now that everypony is caught up to date on the past of myself and crew, how about we come up with a plan that will have you safely through the Ibexian Tundra; or at least, as safe as one can be through such climates?”

Later on in the day, Twilight sat on a stool of the kitchen below deck. True Blue was cleaning the far section of the counter, having already given the five friends a meal each. A quick glance to the left showed Pinkie and Applejack partaking in a game of tick tack toe as they ate their meals, the pink mare lightly bouncing in her seat.

She drew an ‘x’ on the piece of parchment with a piece of chalk held delicately in her mouth, and threw her head up in triumph. “Woohoo! I win again!”

“Shoot, Pinkie. Ah knew y’all were good, but ah thought that Rarity was bein’ a tad dramatic about how ya play this game.” She scratched her head after raising her Stetson a few inches, looking perplexed. “Maybe ah should learn to take her more seriously when she talks about the different sorts o’ games you two play.”

The party pony giggled in response and took a bite of her meal. “I may be good at this game, but you should see Rarity play at Sevens. She always has a doozy of a strategy when playing that card game.”

“Ah’ll keep that in mind.”

Twilight’s lips lifted slightly at the interaction between the two of them, and the conversation of Rarity. She had seen her abilities at that game first hoof, during the party planned to welcome Spike back to Ponyville. _Even though those two are in danger right now, I guess it is alright to take a little break to try and relax and think of good times. Soon though, we will be in a similar danger, so we will all need to be prepared._

Vem had given them some valuable pieces of advice for surviving the tundra. He was also quite impressed with the studious alicorn’s strategies and focus on learning those protection and warding spells during the train ride down to Vanhoover. Learning the lay of the land was a good idea as well, so he said. The cloaks they were all now wearing was his greatest thought. Even so, they were still not much use out in the rain and wet, which was another reason why the five ponies were below.

It had come from out of nowhere it seemed, clouds rolling in from all sides. _The Sea Princess_ was experiencing a far larger beating from the waves now, crashing waves rocking the cabin below side to side. They were nearer to the eastern shore by this point, so the Captain had acknowledged, and he assured them that this was a common occurrence along it as of late. However, it still managed to unnerve the lavender mare. She could also hear Rainbow raise concerns to the weather condition toward Fluttershy.

“Don’t worry, girls,” she announced, gaining the attention of all in attendance, including True Blue. “Captain Vem is a seasoned sailor. He won’t let a storm stop us from reaching the ibexian shore.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, princess.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” the speedster responded with a light shrug of her shoulders. “They seem to know the weird weather conditions of the ocean after all. I guess I’m not used to seeing clouds roll in without pegasi pushing behind them.”

The bright blue stallion chuckled as he began cleaning some dirty dishes from an earlier meal. “Don’t worry, Miss Dash. Vem won’t let a little storm be the end of him.”

“Yes indeedie,” agreed Pinkie readily, bouncing out from her seat opposite Applejack. She bounced over to a stool at the kitchen counter and had a seat. “After all, you heard about the many adventures of Vem Seafarer, pirate of _the Sea Princess._ He fought off those pirate thieves all on his own, and that storm can’t even hold a sword.”

Rainbow rested her chin on a forehoof with a silly grin across her face. “I heard it from you, Pinkie.”

“Oh yeah,” she giggled again and shouted cheerily for a hot chocolate, which the pony quickly prepared for her. “Yummy! Thanks! This’ll keep me warm during our adventure.”

The orange mare laughed as she brought both her plate and Pinkie’s over to the counter. “Ah wouldn’t be surprised if you could stay warm with just that, Pinkie Pie.”

“I just hope that there are no more storms while we are on land,” Fluttershy intoned timidly from her seat. “I wonder how the creatures of this continent deal with so many storms, if it is as common as Captain Vem told us. I don’t think I could live here without jumping every time a thunder storm appeared.” She shook her head and grabbed her dishes, flying across from the left side of the room to give them to True Blue with a quiet ‘thank you’.

A sudden thunder clap resounded through the cabin, causing each pony to fall silent and shift in their pose to look at the stairs leading to the deck.

“I’m going to go and check on them,” Twilight stated, stepping down from her seat and trotting over to the staircase.

“Twilight, you want us to come along as well?” questioned Applejack. The alicorn halted in her stride and spun around, finding her friends giving her worried glances. In reply, she managed a small smile and a steady shake of her head.

“No. You girls stay here. I won’t be gone long; I simply want to see if I can be of any help. Maybe I can make this trip easier on all of us.” With nothing more to be said, she turned on her heels and climbed the stairs to the deck of the ship.

It was soaking wet above the water, clearly many waves were large enough to flood the above decks. Ponies were galloping around, pulling at the sails with ropes, chucking water back into the sea from buckets enveloped in magical auras or by a pegasus’ hooves as they flew, and others tying everything down to prevent it from being taken by the sea.

She glanced around as she walked along the deck, but couldn’t see the Captain or Vice-Captain anywhere. A shout broke through the storming winds and thundering waves, and Twilight craned her neck behind her. Vem stood at the rear of _the Sea Princess_ this time, steering the ship himself it appeared, with Tabatha standing to his left.

Galloping past deckhooves along the right side of the vessel, Twilight ascended the small staircase to the stern. It was the Vice-Captain who noticed her approach first, turning from a couple of ponies to speak with her.

“Is there anything that I can do, Tabatha?” she quizzed loudly, her magic surrounding her extending outward, keeping the rain off of them all.

“Princess?” the yellow unicorn answered after another crash of thunder. Her coat was being tossed about in the blustery wind currents, as Vem’s was, revealing their sailor uniforms beneath. “Why did you choose to come up here?”

“I wanted to help with something! We wouldn’t be here experiencing this if it wasn’t for my friends and I, and maybe I can use my magic to lessen the strain on you.” Without a word, the red-eyed mare turned to her Captain. He spun the wheel about to the right, changing the course of the vessel as a slight scraping sound began. _There must be quite a few rocks and coral along the shoreline here._

“Aye, let her stay!” the Captain shouted as he turned once more to the left. “If there are any large waves that appear to be coming over the sides, can you stop them?!”

Twilight nodded her head. “Yes! And if you need help steering the ship away from the rocks, I should be able to move it safely around!”

“Excellent! Stay right by my side, Princess Twilight!”

The boat rocked this way and that as they fought the rough seas and stormy skies. Barrels and crates slid this way and that, the seaponies having accomplished their tasks in securing all of the supplies. Twilight and Tabatha worked together to soothe the roaring waves that would have otherwise flooded the ship, with the alicorn handling the right side and the unicorn dealing with the left.

Vem steered _the Sea Princess_ from one side to the other, more grinding sounds reverberating out in the storm. Twilight could see lightning striking the water all around the ship, some striking off in the distance. She had just carried a huge wave over the bow of the vessel, harmlessly dropping the liquid over the port side, when she heard another crack of thunder.

Lifting her head to the darkened skies, the princess saw a huge bolt of lightning careening toward them, which would certainly take down one of their sails. _No, that will leave us stranded in this storm._ Galloping forward, she gathered her magic into her horn and shot a lavender and yellow beam of light at the strike, managing to prevent it from hitting anything.

When it faded, Twilight let her magic drop and allowed herself to relax. She was panting a little bit at the sudden exertion, yet she was still well below her limits.

“Good heavens!” yelled Captain Vem, gazing at her momentarily as she spun back around. “Well, princess, that was certainly an astounding show you just gave us! You are just as impressive as Princess Celestia that day she rescued us! Thank you for saving my crew and ship!”

A mere nod was her answer, before she turned about to continue dealing with waves and whatever lightning strikes she felt came too close to the Captain’s vessel. At the end of the experience, the ship and its crew came out on the other end of the storm, as dry as it could be given the circumstances. Twilight was panting a lot at this point, blocking several more bolts before they were free of the weather system. The hour was growing late already, and it seemed as though they would only just make it to shore before night fell.

Glancing to her left, she noticed that the other two were also quite exhausted from the ordeal. Even so, they were smiling at having survived it, and the alicorn readily returned the relieved expression.

Moments after the storm ceased from around them, Twilight noticed that True Blue was wandering above deck. He was swiftly followed by her friends, glancing about at the aftermath. She shouted out to them, and waved as they harkened to her call. As they made their way over to them, she turned to Vem and Tabatha and grinned.

“Well,” she began, still regaining her breath, “that was an interesting experience. Certainly not like dealing with friendship lessons given by Celestia, but I suppose a change of pace is okay…once in a while.”

The two chuckled at her words. “Princess, you are a life saver. I don’t know what we would have done if you had not come to assist when you did. We owe you a great debt.” Vem removed his tricorn hat and bowed lightly, followed by the Vice-Captain.

She blushed and smiled widely and awkwardly. The sounds of hooves on wood entered her perked ears as her friends trotted up behind her. “Ooh! Looks like Twilight did something good up here during that storm. Darn, I missed another really cool thingy happening.”

“What makes you say that, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked as Twilight spun to face them.

Pinkie pointed a hoof toward the silent scene, grinning from ear to ear. “Vem and Tabatha are bowing again. That can only mean that she did something princess-like, and that goofy smile on her face says the same thing.”

“Still not accustomed to bein’ bowed to, eh Twilight?” said Applejack, smirking slightly as she adjusted her hat along her head. An uneasy laugh was her answer, while Twilight scratched the back of her head.

“Mmhm.”

“Ah yes, forgive us, princess.” The lavender mare glanced at the two sailors again. “We are not accustomed to _not_ bowing before royalty.”

In response, Twilight shook a forehoof back and forth in front of her. “Oh, no, no. It’s…it’s fine. Just…know that you don’t need to go through all of these formalities with me. I’m still the same librarian from Ponyville that I was before I earned these wings. I simply…have all of these powers now.”

“Aww, yeah! What did you do this time, Twilight?” Rainbow questioned as she flew above the gathered group. “I bet you steered the ship through all of those rocks and coral reefs and even picked the ship up over a few.”

“She stopped several lightning strikes from hitting the sails of the ship,” Tabatha announced from behind the rainbow-maned pony, all with a serene calmness. “Such a strike would have crippled this vessel and left us at the mercy of the sea.”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped in awe, only giving the alicorn another reason to blush timidly. “What?! That sounds so awesome! You have to show me that the next time there is a storm in Ponyville. I could make one, even a little one would do.”

“Rainbow, ah think we have more important things to worry about right now,” the southern pony interrupted. “Like rescuin’ our friends and makin’ sure that these fine ponies aren’t injured?”

The speedster stayed silent for a moment, then crossed her forehooves and pouted, still held aloft by her wings. “I can multi-task,” she mumbled quietly.

After a bit of time had passed by, things rapidly settled down again. The flooding situation had been dealt with, Twilight and her friends having helped with much of the cleanup. The sun was still above the horizon when they were seated on the deck altogether, and if the evening was good, Twilight figured that they would have a few hours of daylight to walk a bit of the tundra, before needing to make camp for the night.

“Wow, Twilight, I had no idea that you were that powerful,” said Fluttershy. “I mean…I knew that you had a lot of magic, but I didn’t think bolts of lightning could be stopped like that.”

She giggled in reply. “Neither did I…but I couldn’t let this ship be hit. Now hopefully, we won’t have any more difficulties.”

“Don’t worry,” Rainbow Dash stated, taking to the air and lightly boxing in front of her. “If any pirates should be dumb enough to come along, I’ll take care of them.”

“I hope so. I’d really like to see some swashbuckling action before we have to leave,” added Pinkie Pie cheerfully. “Do you know if any pirates are in the area right now, Captain Vem?”

He shook his head in answer, standing to the right of the pink mare, just outside of the circle that they had created. “Not that I know of, Pinkie. I think that is the last bit of exci-” Before the burgundy-eyed unicorn could finish his sentence, the ship jerked forward. Twilight and the rest slid with it, letting out cries of surprise as _the Sea Princess_ came to a sudden halt. “Hey, watch those rocks, up there True Blue!”

“There aren’t any rocks in front of us, Captain,” the stallion answered. “None that I saw.”

“What in the hay?” Applejack asked, pushing her Stetson back on her head and trotting over to the bow. “Captain Vem, there’s a patch o’ ice over here.”

Twilight glanced at the pony and stood on her hooves to follow him along. “What in the name of? There shouldn’t be any ice here. That doesn’t make any sense.” He glanced off the side, as did the princess and the rest.

_Ice out in the open ocean?_ Twilight pondered. _I have never heard of such a thing occurring other than up north._

“Weren’t we just in a rain and thunderstorm a few seconds ago? What the hay is going on?” asked Rainbow Dash. Pinkie shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, whatever is going on, that block of ice was able to stop us really quickly.” Twilight made a face and tried to think back to her research, attempting to recall any information on such things happening near the ibexian coast, though nothing was forthcoming.

“Twilight, do you know what is going on?”

She shook her head. “This is new to me too, Fluttershy. I can probably melt it though. It shouldn’t take very long.”

“I can aid you,” Tabatha offered, already powering up her horn.

The ice moved as the alicorn watched over the side. It shifted upward, encasing a portion of the front of the ship in the frozen water. She stepped back hurriedly. “This is magic. Everypony step back from the edges of the boat! Now!”

They did so without question, gathering all of the crew and her friends in the center of the ship. Ponies wielded blades and axes, held aloft in auras or by hooves, some scraping the floor with their hooves, readying for a possible battle. All was silent, but for the steady creeping ice sheet at the front of the vessel. Without warning, another sound appeared at the stern, similar to the first.

Soon the ice seemed to be creeping up on all sides of the ship. Vem drew his sword and Tabatha formed one using magic. Twilight’s friends crouched down, preparing for whatever was attacking them this time. Shards of ice swiftly crept over the edges, sharp blades growing inward toward the ponies. Even from her position in the middle of the boat, Twilight could see the ice stretching further outward along the waters, before her attention returned to the ice on the ship.

It grew again, out of the spikes grew a grizzly being. First two forearms pulled from the ice, then a single leg broke free. It almost appeared like a liquid in how it moved when it fell to the floor of the boat. It was rapidly joined by others, tearing themselves from ice shards all along the trapped vessel and either standing on their back legs or staying on all fours.

_Ice? Are these enchanted or something?_ The alicorn pondered worriedly. _But if they are, where is the pony that is casting the spell? I haven’t even seen a spell this good about enchanting inanimate objects._ They had an elongated head of spikes pointed crookedly forward; their bodies smooth and their hooves were frozen to the deck. _No, not hooves,_ she shook her head, _more like Spike’s claws, but more slim and jagged._ Whatever these were, they stood at six feet tall for those on all fours and almost eight feet for those standing on two legs.

Before she could think any more on the matter, the twenty some crystalline creatures let out a high pitched screech that pained her ears to listen to. The rest of the group covered their ears and shrunk away slightly. The things stepped forward and shot a shard of ice, either from their backs, their arms, or their chests, all of them narrowly stopped by Twilight’s lavender aura. She let out a relieved sigh as they fell harmlessly to the floor.

“Attack these fowl creatures!” shouted Captain Vem, his sword held high in his magic. “Whatever these things may be, show them that the crew of _the Sea Princess_ are seasoned seafarers!” Yells of agreement rang out into the sea air as his crew galloped ahead of Twilight and her friends, clangs of swords quickly ringing against the solid ice of this new threat.

Rainbow Dash was swift to join them, crying out loud and speeding off to aid some deckhooves. “Rainbow, stop!” the astute mare called out, prior to looking back at the others.

The farm pony stood ahead of Fluttershy, with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind her, keeping an eye at the opposite side of the ship. “Go on, sugarcube. You’re more helpful taking care of those blocks of ice. Pinkie and ah will keep Fluttershy safe and try to help out anypony strugglin’.”

Twilight sighed at her words and glanced at the pink pony, who gave a wink and smile, before crouching down and wiggling her rump and, by extension, her bouncy tail. She merely nodded and began to step back. “Alright. Keep each other safe.”

Shouts of agony split the skies as she raced toward the bow. One of the ponies staggered back with a piece of ice protruding from his left shoulder. He fell to the floorboards as she halted, seeing his friends attempting to distract the creature. She tempered her stance and readied her magic, shooting a concentrated burst at its chest. It continued on straight through, causing the quadrupedal behemoth to flinch for a moment, before resuming its path of destruction. The thing grabbed a sailor by the neck with an icy claw and flung her clear across the ship.

She stopped mid-flight from a yellow aura, the Vice-Captain Tabatha standing a few feet away. She dipped her head at Twilight, and she returned it before trotting over to the stallion who was hit earlier.

“Princess,” he managed through shaky and shuddering breaths. He looked abnormally pale. “Thank you.”

She grabbed onto his raised forehoof with both of hers and shushed him softly. “I’m here. Don’t worry, we’ll get through this alright?” The lavender pony smiled as reassuringly as she could, and it seemed to be coaxing him to do the same. The ice had already begun to freeze the pony’s foreleg, growing up on his neck and chest. _No, no, no,_ she thought frantically, pulling tighter on his hoof.

He was frozen within seconds. Twilight could barely pry her hooves from his, as her tender smile slipped from her features. She was wide-eyed and her mouth hung open at the scene. She looked around at more of the fighting, seeing how far the creatures had already pushed Vem and his crew. They were surrounding her friends in a sort of semi-circle, casting beams this way and that and slashing their blades along the ice. The beams either went through them as well or bounced off harmlessly, the swords doing just about as much damage.

Still, the ice advanced, some of them continuing to screech painfully and hurl ice shards. She racked her brain for a solution, seeing already how others shared that stallion’s fate of being encased in cold near the edges of the ship. Her heart hurt for them, not knowing what to do. She saw Vem with his blade, casting a flame spell onto it and slashing straight through the stomach of one of them. That gave Twilight an idea. She pulled a great amount of energy into her horn and unleashed it in a burst of heat.

Several of the things began to melt around her, and the rest that had surrounded the ship’s crew shifted their icy gazes over to her. “Everypony! Swords won’t be able to deal with them alone! Do what your Captain did and surround your blade in flame, or burn these things with a good flame spell!”

“The princess is right! And make certain that you avoid those ice spikes at all costs. I don’t want to see any more ponies frozen today.” All of them shouted in reply, quickly obeying their orders and casting magic, or allowing others to cast spells on their blades held in their hooves. Fighting resumed and it appeared to be a more balanced affair. Ice limbs came off, and the ponies began to push them back to the edges.

Before victory could be claimed, however, the ice at the sides of the boat grew, with more beasts pulling themselves from them. Twilight watched with horror as the water lying about the deck, behind the charging ponies, shot up as renewed ice and pierced even more stallions and mares. It still appeared to be a fruitless endeavor, Vem’s forces rapidly shrinking.

_No, that should have worked! They’re made of ice._ She cast another spell, but they almost seemed to be more resistant to it; made of a thicker ice. The studious mare glanced to her side at her friends, seeing them nod their understanding before galloping forward. “Pinkie, Fluttershy! You help out those ponies struggling near the front of the ship. Applejack, stay with me and buck any creature that I melt with a spell.”

“Gotcha, Twilight!” the orange pony responded.

“The bow!” Pinkie shouted at what she had told them, bounding forward with them.

Twilight rolled her lavender eyes and ignored the statement, swiping her horn to the left to cut at one of the creatures on all fours. It reared back on its hind legs and Applejack jumped forward, turning around and bucking its upper body off of it and into the ocean. Three more screeched at them and shot icicles at the two ponies. A lavender field surrounded Applejack and Twilight, the shards breaking upon impact with the magic.

It faded, and the three things ran forward. One nearly pierced Applejack through the chest, had she not jumped away. The being instead punched straight through the boards, and even the deck began to freeze over from that spot. Twilight cast a small spell in the shape of a shield and deflected many blows from the other two.

_Whatever is driving these things,_ she pondered, barely blocking another strike of their giant claws, _they sure can hit hard. And they don’t seem to be dwindling in power in the slightest._ As she leapt away from a great blow, it occurred to her how cold the air had become. When Twilight landed, panting heavily from the exertion from using her magic, she could see her breath. Her eyes flashed with realization and they turned skyward. _The storm. Is that what is keeping them here?_

More sounds of struggles and ponies groaning in pain rang out in her ears, and she rolled in between the two ice creatures in time to magically pull a sailor from being slashed by a claw. “I have to warn them; tell everypony to create as much flame and heat as they can all at once.” A shout erupted from behind her; a shout that she recognized all too well. She spun about in time to see the farm mare falling away from a slice from one of these things and out of sight beyond the boat. “Applejack!”

“NO!”

Twilight’s eyes widened, beginning to gallop for the side of the boat. As she did, she glanced to the left, toward the stern where she heard another familiar cry. Her voice caught in her throat at seeing Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo standing out from behind some barrels. A splash of water returned her to her senses, and the alicorn galloped faster, throwing herself from the boat to rescue her friend.

_Captain Vem, my friends, sorry for leaving, but Applejack will surely drown or freeze to death in there._ She plunged into the water, which she noticed had melted from ice since the fight began, and opened her eyes in search of the mare. _How long have those three been on here too? This was really not a good time for them to tag along, but I have to stay focused. Don’t worry, Applebloom. I’ll save your sister at whatever cost._

_Then we’ll find a way to beat these things. I promise._


End file.
